Fort Worth ISD Loses Appeal, Will be Taken Over by Texas Education Agency

FORT WORTH, TX — A judge denied Fort Worth ISD's appeal Friday to avoid being taken over by the Texas Education Agency.

A state administrative court concluded no factual disputes would justify overturning Commissioner Mike Morath’s decision to intervene in the 70,000-student district because of failing academics. This clears the way for Morath to install new leadership over the city’s largest school system. 

It is the second-largest school district to ever be taken over by the TEA behind Houston ISD.

The court’s ruling affirms the agency’s position regarding required intervention in Fort Worth ISD, TEA spokesperson Jake Kobersky said.

Daily classroom instruction is not expected to change immediately, but the ruling removes the final barrier to the intervention.

“This action does not change our focus,” superintendent Karen Molinar said in a statement, noting that FWISD educators remain dedicated to “keeping student success at the center of every decision.”

Morath ordered the state intervention this fall after the now-closed Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade received five consecutive failing academic ratings.

Texas law requires the commissioner to either close a persistently failing campus or appoint a board of managers to govern the district — authority that replaces locally elected trustees. FWISD trustees closed that Forest Oak campus in May 2024.

The decision to close Forest Oak came under the tenure of former Fort Worth Superintendent Angélica Ramsey.

Fort Worth trustees sought the expedited administrative review as a way to secure a deeper review of the facts surrounding the state’s decision, emphasizing trustees wanted to work with state leaders while prioritizing students, Martinez previously said.

Fort Worth ISD argued the state should have paused sanctions for the struggling Forest Oak campus under provisions in Texas law and maintained the district was already making progress toward improving student outcomes.

State officials countered that intervention was required by law after the campus posted five consecutive failing grades.

The three-judge panel removed four affidavits submitted by the state after siding with Fort Worth ISD that the statements included unsupported claims and hearsay. 

However, that did not change the outcome of the case.

La Joya ISD is the only district known to have previously mounted a similar challenge through the state administrative process, Kobersky said. Judges ultimately sided with the agency, and a board of managers and superintendent was appointed in February 2024. 

The decision arrives as the state prepares to install new leadership over Fort Worth schools, including the managers and appointing a superintendent, in the coming weeks. Morath has said Molinar is among candidates for the top administrator post.

Morath appointed a conservator, Christopher Ruszkowski, in November to oversee the transition.

State-appointed managers will assume the powers and duties of elected trustees until Morath determines the district has made sufficient academic progress to return to local control — a process that typically lasts at least two years.

With the administrative review decided, attention now shifts to who will ultimately lead Fort Worth ISD — and how quickly the state will begin reshaping the district’s direction.