Licata's Mission: Transforming Fort Worth Schools

0:00It's March 29, I'm Cory with the story, and this is Dallas News Today, local news powered by AI. Fort Worth Independent School District's new superintendent, Peter Lakata, hit the ground running four days into the job, hand picked by the state, commissioner to turn around a district with 39D and F-rated campuses. Despite 63 schools bumping up their ratings this year, too many kids are still falling behind, and Lakata says no more excuses, poverty or zip. The code won't dictate futures. During a visit to Morningside Middle School, he watched a seventh grader wrestle with a slow laptop, losing three minutes of class time just to load, and English assignment. He stressed real-time data so teachers can adjust lessons instantly, and floated going back to paper for younger kids to cut tech glitches that stack, up and keep students from grade level work. School Board President Pete Jareen calls Lakata a kid-focus leader, with passion for the most disadvantaged, seeing low literacy as a moral fail.

1:00But some teachers are holding back judgment, saying they need to see real support amid recruiting from nearby districts like Castlebury, which push, local control. Lakata laid out five core pillars to guide the nearly $1 billion budget, kids achieving academic success, first, teachers getting right lessons, and materials, fair pay, grads ready for college or careers, and reallocating funds to classrooms. He wants campus leaders held accountable, flipping the blame from teachers to support systems, expect a culture shift with high standards for every student, better working conditions to keep talent, and five to ten percentage point gains in, proficiency his first year. As he keeps hitting campuses, the pressure is on, no one wins staying stuck, and the board's watching close to make sure kids come out ahead.