08-08-2025
Fort Worth ISD under review for possible state takeover
Could Fort Worth ISD become the next Texas school district to fall under state control?
After five consecutive years of failing ratings at Forest Oak Sixth Grade Center, state officials say a takeover is still on the table.
The issue came up during a Texas Senate Education Committee meeting Wednesday, with lawmakers and education leaders signaling a decision could come soon.
"They are still, as I understand it, the lowest performing large school district in the state," said state Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford.
Education Commissioner Mike Morath confirmed the agency is actively evaluating the district's future.
"We are actively evaluating that decision now," Morath said. "I will say this fall, we will have a resolution on that one way or another."
To understand what a state takeover might look like in Fort Worth, Duncan Klussmann, a University of Houston professor and former superintendent of Spring Branch ISD, reflected on Houston ISD's state takeover in 2023.
"The board at the time was extremely dysfunctional," Klussmann said, explaining that leadership problems contributed to Houston's struggles.
The biggest change under state control, Klussmann said, is centralization. For parents, that could mean a state-appointed board replacing the elected one, the superintendent being removed, and a single curriculum implemented across schools — essentially a much more structured and unified approach to running the district.
"This model seems to be working," Klussmann said of Houston's progress. "They've put in really great reforms, they've moved very fast, and they've shown really great test results."
Still, he noted, the long-term success of a state-run district can be difficult to measure, and it's unclear whether reforms will remain once local control returns.
He said true outcomes, like improved graduation rates, will take time. One of Fort Worth's biggest challenges, if taken over, could be getting community buy-in — something that proved difficult in Houston, where many families left the district after the takeover.
"I think the key is, I wouldn't let this be a distraction to your child's learning experience," Klussmann said.
Trenace Dorsey-Hollins, a Fort Worth ISD parent and education advocate with Parent Shield, said the term "state takeover" can cause fear among families.
"I think they would be upset because of the unknown," she said.
Still, she hopes the focus can remain where it matters most — on students.
"We just want to see growth for our students," she said.
Klussmann echoed that advice.
"Stay focused on your own child's education, and if you feel comfortable with where they're at, don't let the noise of everything else affect that."
