Fort Worth schools weigh state takeover exit

Fort Worth ISD officials are evaluating the district's status under state supervision after Gina Hinojosa won the Texas gubernatorial election. The district entered a state takeover in March, which removed elected board members from power and installed a state-appointed board.

Hinojosa has stated she intends to end state takeovers of local schools. She will take the oath of office on Jan. 19, 2027. In a speech on Tuesday night, she said she plans to fire Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath on her first day in office.

"I will take the oath of office ready to lead a government by the people and for the people," Hinojosa said. "Not for the people who donated the most, not for the people who know the right people, but for every Texan."

The district held a special board meeting on Wednesday night. State-appointed Board of Managers president Pete Geren attended a news conference hosted by a group opposing the takeover before the meeting. "The appointed board wants to work together and do what is right for the kids," Geren said.

Roxanne Martinez, the elected board president, said Geren called her on Wednesday morning to express readiness to collaborate during any transition. Martinez said she woke up hopeful that the district would regain local control. The state-appointed board did not comment on a possible transition during the special meeting.

Hinojosa has outlined other education reforms, including ending the STARR test and the private school voucher program. She described the STARR test as flawed and said it fails to reliably measure student achievement. She also pledged to end the era of no-bid contracts and redirect those funds toward increasing teacher pay.