FORT WORTH — The Texas Education Agency (TEA) named a new superintendent and a nine-member Board of Managers to oversee the Fort Worth ISD.
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath has named Dr. Peter B. Licata as the new superintendent. He most recently led the nation’s sixth-largest district in Broward County, Florida where he led that district to it's first "A" rating in 14 years.
In his first address to the community, Licata struck a tone of urgent accountability, drawing on his background as a former coach to describe the district's current standing.
"We are going to win more than three or four games in a 10-game season," Licata said, referencing the district's struggling metrics. "That’s where we are right now, and that’s unacceptable as a coach."
Licata emphasized that the "gap" in student performance often discussed in education should never be viewed as normal. "The urgency of incremental growth... is far too significant than to be happy with a one or two or three-point gain," he noted, adding that while the district has seen "good" moments, it must strive to be "great."
A "Moral Obligation" to Students
Licata, a product of public education along with his wife and four children, framed the mission ahead as a "moral obligation." He shared a personal story about his father, a lifelong algebra teacher and coach, who initially discouraged his children from entering the underpaid field of education.
It wasn't until his father's funeral, where hundreds of former students shared how he had impacted their lives, that Licata realized he was "in the wrong seat on the bus" as a general contractor. He eventually returned to school and began his career as a seventh-grade geography teacher in the inner city.
"Public education is an American ideal," Licata said. "It is not a political ideology, and we cannot turn it into one, because the students lose when we do that."
The New Board of Managers
The newly appointed Board of Managers will temporarily replace the elected Board of Trustees. This group is tasked with providing strategic oversight to bridge the gap between "chronic underperformance" and student success.
The Appointed Members:
- Bobby Ahdieh: Dean of Texas A&M University School of Law and COO of Texas A&M – Fort Worth.
- Rosa Marie Berdeja: Attorney and Chair-Elect of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
- Luis A. Galindo: Longtime construction attorney and adjunct professor.
- Laurie George: Former educator and current FWISD parent pursuing her Ph.D.
- Pete Geren: Former U.S. Congressman and Secretary of the Army.
- Courtney Lewis: Finance and banking professional.
- Frost Prioleau: Technology entrepreneur with 35 years of leadership experience.
- Jay Stegall: Business operations veteran.
- Tennessee Walker: Attorney and Board Chair for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Why the Takeover Happened
Under Texas state law, the TEA must intervene if a school fails to meet accountability standards for five consecutive years. While the district closed the Leadership Academy at Forest Oaks 6th-grade campus after five "unacceptable" ratings, Morath stated this did not resolve the "systemic deficiencies" causing chronic underperformance.
Currently, only 34% of students in FWISD are meeting grade-level requirements—16 percentage points below the state average. Morath noted that 20 campuses in the district have been D or F rated for multiple years.
What Happens Next?
The elected Board of Trustees has been stripped of its authority. While trustee elections will continue on schedule, the winners will likely serve in a placeholder capacity.
Licata warned that difficult decisions are on the horizon, including budget constraints and potential school closures—issues facing many large districts nationwide. He plans to spend the coming days visiting communities and talking to parents anonymously to get an unvarnished view of the district's needs.
"When you put a problem beyond and put a child in front of it, it gets easier to answer immediately," Licata said. "Because you lose the peripheral and you remember why you're here."
