Fort Worth ISD Improves, but State Intervention Continues.

Fort Worth ISD has fewer failing schools this year, but one campus remains a major hurdle in the district’s effort to move beyond state intervention.

New accountability ratings released Aug. 14 show the roughly 60,000-student district maintained an overall C rating. The number of F-rated campuses also fell from 11 to seven.

Still, William James Middle School received its fifth consecutive F, triggering a Texas law that requires the state education commissioner to either close the campus or appoint a board of managers to govern the district.

Fort Worth ISD is already in its first year under a state-appointed board of managers and superintendent. The district must meet several conditions before control can return to elected trustees, including addressing campuses with repeated unacceptable ratings and improving student performance in reading and math.

For Benbrook families, the districtwide picture comes with some brighter news. Benbrook Middle-High School announced this week that it earned an A rating, placing the campus among Fort Worth ISD schools showing strong academic performance.

So while Fort Worth ISD is showing measurable improvement, the latest grades also make one thing clear: the district still has work ahead before state oversight ends.