More principals left Fort Worth ISD in the 2023-2024 school year than in any other year since at least the 2017-2018 school year.
Educators have stated that principals’ exiting could lead to a lack of stability for students. Principals’ roles include building good relationships with teachers and fostering community connections with staff and parents, reported KERA.
United Educators Association Director Steven Poole has said that parents are used to seeing the same faces at schools when they drop off and pick up their kids.
“It causes some discomfort at the parent level,” Poole said, per KERA. “They want stability in their schools, they want to know that the principals are there, and will be there, in their school.”
“Principals don’t quit their schools, they quit their districts,” Poole said. “That’s what I’ve heard from a lot of principals who have left Fort Worth ISD. They’re frustrated.”
Fort Worth ISD had 49 principals leave in the 2023-2024 school year, 21 of whom retired and 28 resigned.
“You should let principals be principals,” Fort Worth ISD teacher Ale Checka said.
Fort Worth ISD’s new interim superintendent, Karen Molinar, has released a statement stating that she is aware of the issues.
“We are dedicated to building a district that runs efficiently and effectively, ensuring that every resource is used to benefit our students and their success, while at the same time cultivating and developing our principals and teachers so they are positioned to implement best practice instruction focused on student achievement,” Molinar said.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Karen Molinar was chosen to be Fort Worth ISD’s interim superintendent after superintendent Dr. Angelica Ramsey resigned.