Mayor optimistic about new Fort Worth ISD STAAR results after 'unacceptable' 2024 numbers
Mayor optimistic about Fort Worth ISD test results
Fort Worth ISD is showing improvement with STAAR results but still lags behind statewide averages in many categories. Mayor Mattie Parker says she supports the new superintendent’s plan for a turnaround.
FORT WORTH, Texas - Tuesday's report on STAAR results shows a glimmer of hope for the troubled Fort Worth ISD.
The district is making small gains in its bid to avoid a state takeover after 2024 results that Mayor Mattie Parker called "unacceptable." The mayor spoke with FOX 4 on Tuesday about the progress.
Mayor Mattie Parker
Fort Worth Mayor on STAAR Results
The backstory:
Parker has been very outspoken about the underperformance in FWISD schools.
In 2024, the district was 11 percentage points behind Dallas ISD students on the STAAR test, 14 points behind Houston ISD and 18 points behind Brownsville ISD.
Parker took a strong stance on the matter, urging that school officials take steps towards improvement and pointing out that a "takeover-style" state intervention may be on the table. The mayor noted that such an intervention had proven effective alongside community intervention in the districts of Dallas and Houston.
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The TEA released the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) results for grades 3 through 8, which include tests in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
Facing challenges in English I and II performance, the district is working to address performance challenges.
Superintendent Dr. Karen Molinar is putting new measures in place to address these deficiencies, such as demo classrooms with instructional modeling, and a full curriculum redesign with tiered support tailored to student needs.
On Tuesday, Parker said the new numbers were encouraging, but cautioned there's more to be done.
New Fort Worth ISD STAAR Results
The Latest:
Fort Worth ISD was under a big microscope this school year. Molinar was named as the new district superintendent in February, having been the interim since October 2024.
The test results showed gains in grades three through eight across multiple subjects, including reading and math.
There was a dip in fifth-grade math, showing 34% of students were at grade-level.
Seventh-grade math scores also remain low, with only 5% of students being at grade-level.
There were some high points. Fourth graders who took the reading test in Spanish saw a 10-point increase, and 23% of those students are meeting grade-level.
However, in most categories, FWISD still falls behind the statewide performance average.
What they're saying:
Parker says she's optimistic about Molinar's efforts going forward, noting the path to improvement will take time.
"This is a multiyear effort. This is not going to happen in the nine months she's been superintendent of schools," Parker said.
The mayor also commented on how their progress may prevent the state takeover, an option that lies in the hands of Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.
"State law is very clear on what his choice is," Parker said of Morath. "I think Dr. Molinar is laser-focused. Regardless of what the commissioner's decision is, she is all in to help student outcomes improve."
What's next:
Parker again cautioned that a state takeover is ultimately up to Morath.
She said there hopefully will be more improvements with increased school funding signed by the governor.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and previous FOX 4 reporting.