Friends of Fort Worth Schools
Preserving Excellence in West Fort Worth
A Community-Led Path Forward for Ridglea Hills, Tanglewood, and Overton Park.
Fort Worth ISD is entering a new chapter under the governance of Dr. Peter Licata and the TEA-appointed Board of Managers. To protect the legacy of our neighborhood schools and ensure continuous student success, we are proposing a collaborative path forward: a Community Innovation Zone. Governed by local parents, educators, and community leaders, this zone ensures our schools remain exceptional, public, and ours.
The Landscape
Navigating a Changing Educational Landscape
Systemic shifts are happening in Texas public education. By acknowledging these realities, we can partner proactively with district leadership to secure the best outcomes for our students.
The New Reality
With the recent TEA interventions and district-wide campus reshuffles, large districts historically shift toward highly centralized, rigid curriculum models. We want to ensure our unique neighborhood programs are preserved during this transition.
The Houston Precedent
We have a TEA-approved blueprint. Recently, top-performing high schools in Houston successfully partnered with their TEA board to secure "Level-five autonomy" through local non-profits. We can bring this same proven model to Fort Worth.
Protecting District Funding
As Texas rolls out Education Savings Account (ESA) vouchers, families have subsidized options to leave. By preserving the unique character of our schools, families will stay—which ultimately protects vital funding for the entire FWISD system.
The Solution
An SB 1882 Community Partnership
Keeping our schools public, unique, and locally governed.
Senate Bill 1882 is a Texas law that allows school districts to contract with a local, community-based 501(c)(3) non-profit to manage the day-to-day operations of specific campuses. It is an established path to local autonomy.
✅ The Win-Win: The schools remain 100% public. The buildings belong to FWISD, and the students remain FWISD students. However, the governance, curriculum, and day-to-day operational decisions shift to our local non-profit board.
✅ Financial Benefits: Rather than draining district resources, an SB 1882 partnership actually unlocks additional per-student funding directly from the state, bringing more tax dollars straight into our local classrooms.
✅ Shielded from Cuts: In a time of district-wide staff reductions, our community board will have the operational autonomy to protect our educators and their classrooms.
The Strategy
Our Roadmap to the Innovation Zone
This is a structured, phased project led by competent local leadership.
Phase 1: Organization
We are actively forming our 501(c)(3) entity. Our board will comprise diverse community voices, including parents, veteran educators, and leaders with specialized financial and legal expertise.
Phase 2:
The Proposal
We will develop a robust performance contract and operational plan. We intend to present this as a collaborative solution to the FWISD Board of Managers, utilizing the same successful strategies seen in Waco and Houston.
Phase 3:
The Transition
Once approved, day-to-day operations will shift smoothly. Our priority is a seamless transition that causes zero disruption to our students' daily routines and learning environments.
🤝 The Anchor Strategy: Uplifting All of West Fort Worth
True community leadership means looking beyond our own backyards. Our Innovation Zone proposal will explicitly include a nearby Title I campus (such as Como or South Hi Mount). By pooling our resources, fundraising power, and educational expertise, we can elevate multiple neighborhoods and ensure that excellence is shared.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Will we have to pay tuition?
No. Our schools will remain 100% free, public schools.
What happens to our current teachers?
Our educators are our greatest asset. Under this model, the non-profit assumes their contracts. Our goal is not just to retain our top talent, but to shield them from district-wide reductions, offering competitive pay and superior working conditions.
Is this a charter school taking over?
Absolutely not. This is an in-district partnership. We are not bringing in an out-of-state charter operator. This non-profit is built by our community, governed by our community, for our community.
Join Us
The Future of Our Schools is in Our Hands.
Add your name to the coalition. We will only email you with major updates, action items, and meeting announcements regarding the Friends of Fort Worth Schools.