Fort Worth ISD’s new superintendent is warning that students cannot afford delays as he steps into a district that has struggled with academic performance for years.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, only 41% of the district’s third- and fourth-grade students met grade-level standards, according to the Texas Education Agency, a modest increase from 33% in 2024. The district has also lost nearly 3,000 students since 2024.
The district is now under state oversight following years of academic underperformance.
Superintendent Peter Licata said that while reform will take time, the district cannot afford delays.
“It’s going to take a while to correct the system,” Licata told the Fort Worth Report. “But we don’t have time.”
During a recent campus visit, Licata pointed to small disruptions, such as delays in classroom technology, as examples of lost instructional time that must be addressed quickly.
Licata outlined five priorities aimed at turning around the district, including improving academic achievement, supporting teachers, increasing pay, preparing students for college and careers, and reallocating resources.
“That expectation when that kid walks in the classroom is as high as for every kid in the district,” Licata said.
Licata previously led Broward County Public Schools, where the district earned its first “A” rating in more than 14 years.
“My North Star for Fort Worth ISD is simple and unwavering: every student reading on grade level, mastering mathematics, and graduating prepared for college, career, or military service in a system strong enough to sustain that success long after state intervention ends,” Licata said in his Fort Worth ISD biography.
Despite the leadership change, some critics remain skeptical.
A post from a social media account raised concerns about the impact of leadership changes on teachers, though those claims could not be independently verified.
Others have expressed optimism about the new direction.
“He has a humble nature and the conviction that this job is focused on student outcomes,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said in a statement.
