Fort Worth ISD’s board of trustees took action on Superintendent Angélica Ramsey’s contract after it discussed her performance in a five-hour closed session.
The board voted 5-4 to approve the action but did not provide information about what the Tuesday night vote entailed until the following day when trustees announced that a majority voted in favor of awarding Ramsey a $15,000 bonus at taxpayers’ expense.
People from the community spoke out during public comment prior to the vote, criticizing Ramsey’s time as superintendent but without knowing the trustees were going to give her more taxpayer money.
“You’ve failed the district, the community, and 75,000 students, and especially the African American students who you neglected through a lack of proper funding, lack of adequate programs, and appropriate focus,” said Estella Williams, president of the NAACP of Fort Worth-Tarrant County, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“Just not long ago, you said there would be the focus on African American students. We’re still looking for it. It’s too late for us to wait,” added Williams.
“I’m just asking you guys to please take into consideration facts. The numbers are down; it’s not working,” Fort Worth resident Amie Super said during public comment.
Fort Worth ISD saw just 32% of its students score at grade level on the STAAR exam during the 2021-2022 school year, according to the latest Texas Education Agency accountability report. This is worse than struggling Dallas ISD, which saw only 41% of students score at grade level on the STAAR exam that school year and the state average of 48%.
“Two years later, there’s no district education improvement plan to date. There’s no strategic plan that was promised by Ramsey in April 2024 and fewer and fewer of our students are meeting grade level standards,” Fort Worth activist and pastor Michael Bell said, according to the Fort Worth Report. “This board continues to reward Dr. Ramsey for incompetence and gross ineffectiveness.”
Others were supportive of Ramsey’s leadership.
“This district is a large ship, and it was run aground. And Dr. Ramsey has come in, and she’s trying to turn this ship around and get it sailing back,” Fort Worth resident Janie Ginn said, per the Star-Telegram.
“The other thing is, she’s not the only person responsible for what happens with our students’ scores. She’s tried to bring in more parents because we need more parents involved with their own children, supporting them in their education,” Ginn added.
The Dallas Express reached out to Fort Worth ISD’s school board president, Trustee Camille Rodriguez, but did not receive a response by publication.