Fort Worth ISD is implementing significant staffing changes and addressing community concerns regarding curriculum implementation as it manages a substantial drop in student enrollment. Superintendent Peter Licata stated that all affected staff members will receive notification or be reassigned by Labor Day, Sept. 7.
The district projected an enrollment decline of approximately 2,500 students for the 2026-27 academic year compared to projections. This shift has created uneven classroom sizes, with some rooms exceeding 35 students while others contained fewer than 10. Licata indicated that younger and newer educators are most likely to be moved to balance these numbers.
At Bonnie Brae Elementary, parents and teachers report that a promised schoolwide applied learning program failed to materialize following a merger with Riverside Applied Learning Center. Educators were informed in December 2025 that training would occur over the summer, but this did not happen. Original Bonnie Brae students continued with standard instruction while former Riverside students received the specialized curriculum.
Parents learned of the discrepancy during back-to-school meetings, and at least one teacher has resigned over the issue.
Licata is conducting strategic action listening sessions to rebuild trust, including a meeting on Aug. 27 at Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School. During that session, he acknowledged that the district ranks as the worst-performing urban school system in Texas for students reading at grade level.
In legal developments, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman dismissed a First Amendment lawsuit filed by former principal Shayma Alzubi. Alzubi was reassigned after backlash regarding social media posts about Sharia law and Black Lives Matter. The judge ruled that personnel decisions made by public agencies do not qualify for federal judicial review.
