Fort Worth ISD students showed improvement in math and reading, outpacing statewide increases in the newly released STAAR results. However, the district still has a long way to go before it sheds Texas control.
Progress and Challenges
The 2026 scores are among the first major academic results released since the district came under state control. State-appointed leaders have said they will attribute this year’s STAAR results to former Superintendent Karen Molinar, whom Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath ousted for a new takeover chief.
Fort Worth ISD saw a 3 percentage point gain in reading across all students, according to an analysis by the Fort Worth Education Partnership. The district also saw a 6-point increase in math proficiency, with the biggest gain coming in eighth-grade math, where the district improved by 10 percentage points.
Despite the progress, FWISD students are still far behind their peers, with 40% of students proficient in reading and 34% in math. The district is 11 percentage points behind Dallas ISD’s proficient rate of 51% in reading and 14 points behind the state and Houston ISD, both of which have a proficient rate of 54%.
Next Steps
State-appointed leaders will be judged, in part, by whether the district can show sustained academic improvement. The district will introduce a new support model called Focus for schools that qualify for the Elevate Network, which focuses on chronically underperforming campuses.
Families can access individual STAAR results through their school district’s parent portal or TexasAssessment.gov. Eligible families may also receive up to $400 for literacy tutoring through the Parent Access to Supplemental Supports program beginning in the fall.
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
