Fort Worth ISD’s state takeover entered a new phase on March 24, when the Texas Education Agency (TEA) named Dr. Peter B. Licata as the district’s new superintendent and appointed a nine-member Board of Managers to replace the elected school board. The move marks a significant step in the state’s assumption of control over yet another of Texas’ largest school districts.
According to the TEA, the appointed board will assume all governance responsibilities of the district, operating under the same open meetings and public records requirements as an elected board. The Board of Managers is charged with overseeing district operations, supporting academic improvement, and meeting performance benchmarks that will eventually determine when control can be returned to locally elected trustees.
The takeover itself was first announced in October 2025, when TEA Commissioner Mike Morath determined that state intervention was necessary after years of reportedly low academic performance at several campuses. Under Texas law, the Commissioner is authorized to intervene in districts that fail to meet state accountability standards over multiple years. In Fort Worth ISD’s case, the TEA cited persistent underperformance and a lack of sufficient progress as their justification for replacing the district’s leadership.
The appointment of Dr. Licata, who most recently served as superintendent in Broward County, Florida, comes after a national search was conducted by the TEA. He’s begun working immediately under a 21-day interim contract, with the expectation that the newly appointed Board of Managers will formally approve a longer-term agreement.
Dr. Licata replaces outgoing Superintendent Dr. Karen Molinar, who had expressed interest in continuing to lead the district during the transition. Local reporting indicates that the leadership change came as part of the TEA’s broader restructuring effort under the district takeover.
The agency’s actions have drawn a range of responses from local and state leaders. In a March 23 statement, State Board of Education member Dr. Tiffany Clark raised concerns about the selection process for the Board of Managers, describing it as rushed and lacking sufficient transparency. She noted that she had limited time to review potential appointees and warned that the process risks undermining public trust in district governance.
In a separate March 24 statement, Sen. Taylor Rehmet acknowledged concerns about the takeover itself, saying he remains skeptical that state intervention is the best approach for improving district performance. At the same time, he also indicated a willingness to work with the newly appointed leadership to support student outcomes and move toward restoring local governance.
For now, Fort Worth ISD schools will continue operating normally and day-to-day instruction isn’t expected to change much in the short-term. However, the shift in governance represents a major structural change for the district as the Board of Managers now holds decision-making authority over key areas including budgeting, staffing, policy, and long-term planning.
State takeovers of school districts remain a controversial tool in Texas education policy with concerns about transparency, community input, and the removal of locally elected leadership. Fort Worth ISD now joins a small but growing number of districts, including Houston ISD, that have been placed under direct state control in recent years.
The path forward will depend on the district’s ability to meet the TEA’s academic and operational standards. Additionally, the agency hasn’t set a specific timeline for returning governance to an elected board, instead tying the transition to demonstrated improvement over time.
Texas AFT remains opposed, as has been covered previously in The Hotline, to state takeovers as a long-term solution to challenges facing public schools. As Fort Worth ISD moves forward under TEA-appointed leadership, the union will continue working with local educators and community members to support students, ensure educators have a voice in decision-making, and advocate for a return to transparent, locally elected, governance as soon as possible.