Schools in Fort Worth
Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) carries a 'C' district accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency for the 2025-26 preliminary ratings -- an improvement from the prior year (its overall score rose from 73 to 77) but delivered in the context of a real, significant fact worth stating plainly: the TEA appointed a state-installed Board of Managers and a new superintendent to oversee the district in March 2026 following years of academic performance concerns. This is a genuinely different starting point than Tampa's improving-but-locally-governed Hillsborough County Public Schools, and prospective families should understand it directly.
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Learn moreDistrict Rating and the TEA Takeover
The Texas Education Agency appointed Superintendent Peter Licata and a nine-member Board of Managers to oversee Fort Worth ISD on March 24, 2026, following years of documented academic performance concerns -- a state intervention, not a routine leadership change (source: multiple 2026 North Texas news outlets, including Dallas Express, WBAP, and CBS News Texas, reviewed August 2026). Under this new leadership, FWISD's district accountability score rose from 73 to 77 in the 2026 preliminary ratings, while retaining an overall 'C' letter grade -- a real, if modest, improvement, not yet a turnaround to an A or B district.
Individual Campus Performance Within the District
Per 2026 preliminary TEA ratings coverage, Fort Worth ISD received 17 A-rated campuses, 38 B-rated campuses, 43 C-rated campuses, 19 D-rated campuses, and 7 F-rated campuses -- with the number of D- and F-rated campuses declining from the prior year. That means a genuine range exists within the district: some individual FWISD campuses earn A or B ratings even while the district overall sits at a C, and a real minority still carry D or F ratings. Check the specific campus assigned to any address directly via the TEA rating lookup rather than relying on the district-level figure alone.
Ratings Are Preliminary, Not Final
The August 2026 TEA ratings referenced above are explicitly preliminary; the TEA's 2026 accountability calendar schedules final ratings for December 2026, following an appeals process that districts (including Fort Worth ISD) can and do pursue. Treat the figures above as the current best-available snapshot, not a locked-in final grade, and check for updated ratings closer to year-end if researching a specific enrollment decision.
Alternatives Within and Near Fort Worth
Fort Worth city limits and the surrounding area are also served by other school districts depending on exact address -- families should confirm which district (Fort Worth ISD, or a neighboring district depending on the specific home's boundary) actually serves a given property before assuming FWISD applies, since district assignment is address-specific, not citywide.
A Note on What This Page Deliberately Does Not Claim
This page speaks at the district level because that is what could be honestly sourced this pass, and it deliberately states the TEA takeover directly rather than omitting it -- a prospective family evaluating Fort Worth deserves that context, not a softened version of it. It does not claim the takeover means schools are unsafe or that no good campuses exist within the district; the 17 A-rated and 38 B-rated campuses above are real. Check the specific assigned school for any address via the TEA accountability search before treating any district-level statistic as decisive.
Key takeaways
- Fort Worth ISD carries a 'C' district accountability rating (2025-26 preliminary), improved from a score of 73 to 77 -- but under a Texas Education Agency-appointed Board of Managers and superintendent installed March 24, 2026 after years of performance concerns.
- Campus-level results vary widely: 17 A-rated, 38 B-rated, 43 C-rated, 19 D-rated, and 7 F-rated campuses in the 2026 preliminary ratings, with D/F counts declining from the prior year.
- These ratings are preliminary; TEA finalizes 2026 ratings in December after an appeals process.
- Not every Fort Worth address is served by Fort Worth ISD -- confirm the specific district and campus for any address directly.
- Check the TEA accountability search for a specific campus before deciding -- the district-level C grade does not describe every individual school equally.
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