New Fort Worth ISD superintendent, school board address public for first time

New Fort Worth ISD leadership speaks with public for first time

For the first time since being appointed by the Texas Education Agency last week, the Fort Worth ISD superintendent and board heard from the public at a school board meeting on Tuesday. FOX 4's Amelia Jones has more.

FORT WORTH, Texas - For the first time since being appointed by TEA last week, the new superintendent and school board of Fort Worth ISD addressed the public at a school board meeting.

What we know:

Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Peter Licata and the school board outlined their plans to get the district back on track during the March 31 school board meeting.

"We have to work the system to make sure when teachers are working hard, they're working to an objective, a strategy that will make children proficient, so they can read to learn," Licata said during the meeting.

Peter Licata

Items on the meeting's agenda included electing board leadership positions.

Licata stated he plans to share a superintendent's message every Friday to share updates on the district's progress.

The backstory:

It was the first chance for the public to get to hear and speak to the Texas Education Agency-appointed educators.

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TEA names new superintendent, Fort Worth ISD Board of Managers in state takeover

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath appointed Peter Licata and a nine-member Board of Managers Tuesday to lead Fort Worth ISD through a state takeover.

TEA intervened in Fort Worth ISD after the school district, the sixth largest in the country, received five consecutive failing grades in the state's accountability system.

Licata and the nine-member school board were appointed last week by TEA.

What they're saying:

The newly appointed educators received a mixture of support and criticism from the 31 people who signed up to speak at Tuesday night's meeting.

"We intend to hold you accountable, through transparency, by watching what you do and letting the people know what you're doing, when you are doing it and how you're doing it," one Fort Worth ISD parent said.

"If you're here to serve public school students and families, then act like it. If the state tells you to withhold information from parents, refuse," Sabrina Ball, another Fort Worth ISD parent, said. "If the state tells you to make decisions without evidence, refuse. If the state tells you to fix what isn't broken, refuse. That is your duty." 

Some speakers voiced concerns about the lack of details on the meeting's agenda.

What's next:

Licata stated he plans to visit every Fort Worth ISD campus by the end of the current school year before forming plans on how to improve student outcomes.