Fort Worth School Board Revised Student Achievement Goals

The district's state-appointed managers have set new academic targets and teacher retention requirements for local students.

Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Administration

Isometric editorial illustration showing a stack of minimalist wooden chairs beside a brick column, representing educational policy and structural district change. — The Fort Worth ISD Board of Managers has implemented revised academic achievement goals and new teacher retention requirements for the district. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Fort Worth ISD Board of Managers has revised student achievement goals and superintendent guardrails to address academic performance and teacher turnover. These updates follow a state intervention that saw nearly 800 teachers resign from the district.

Why it matters

The board revised these policies to respond to community concerns regarding recent administrative changes and the significant loss of educators. These adjustments aim to stabilize the district environment while targeting specific improvements in standardized test outcomes.

The district set a goal to increase third grade state standardized test performance by 5% annually. Additionally, the board established a long-term target for eighth grade performance to reach 55% by 2031, rising from a 35% level recorded in 2026.

The players

Fort Worth ISD

The local public school district currently under state-appointed management following years of failing campus grades.

Texas Education Agency

The state regulatory body responsible for overseeing public education and intervening in districts that do not meet state performance standards.

Peter Licata

The current superintendent of the district tasked with implementing the board's new academic goals and retention strategies.

The details

The new guardrails require the superintendent to develop a structured plan to recruit, retain, and support educators. This process includes creating formal opportunities for teacher input to address the high resignation rate observed after the Texas Education Agency took control of the district. The goals were drafted after a series of public sessions to ensure the new direction reflects community feedback and addresses the challenges faced by classrooms.

The Texas Education Agency intervened in the district in 2025.
The Board of Managers revised goals and guardrails on October 13, 2026.
The board is scheduled to revisit the document on October 27, 2026.
The board plans to finalize these goals and guardrails in November 2026.

The Home Front

This policy shift occurs as the district navigates the administrative and cultural changes associated with the Texas Education Agency district intervention protocols. It marks a formal effort to stabilize the district's workforce and academic trajectory after a period of intense turnover.

Families with students in the district should review the new third and eighth grade testing targets to understand academic expectations for the upcoming school year. Parents can track progress by monitoring official board meeting notes as the district implements its new teacher support and retention plan.

The takeaway

This adjustment represents a pivot toward long-term stabilization for the district following a period of rapid administrative change. Families should look for upcoming opportunities to participate in district feedback sessions as the board prepares for the final November vote.