Fort Worth ISD is proposing a new policy for selling school properties, including a six-step process that requires public input and approval from the school board. The policy comes after community members expressed concerns about the sale of public properties, particularly with a Texas-appointed board of managers making decisions instead of elected trustees.

Policy Details

The proposed policy outlines a six-step process for administrators to follow when selling district-owned property. The steps include holding at least one public meeting in the affected neighborhood, seeking written comments for at least 30 days, and informing nearby property owners and groups. The policy also requires the district to hold a competitive bidding process and prohibits bidders from lobbying officials outside a designated channel.

The policy slows down the property sales process, requiring district staff to spend 60 days producing an independent appraisal, title review, environmental screening, and a summary of how the property is currently used. The board must also approve a sale by adopting written findings and explaining why they have chosen to go against staff and community recommendations, if they do so.

Community Input

Community members have expressed concerns about the sale of public properties, particularly with regards to transparency and public input. Erika Ramos, a mother of a FWISD student, spoke at a board meeting, saying, “This is one of those moments where we’re asking for a little more transparency around what is happening to our public spaces, what long-term protections will exist in writing for this land moving forward.”

FWISD manager Luis Galindo said the policy is based on comments and public reaction the board has heard as it examines the future of Farrington Field and the sale of several properties. Galindo wants more public input on the policy ahead of the next board meeting, saying, “One of the key components that’s going to make this work is public participation. We need to hear from you guys on what you think about this policy before it becomes final policy.”

Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.