Dallas City News

A notice appeared on Fort Worth Independent School District’s website on Saturday announcing a special meeting next week with just one item on the agenda: the deliberation of “The Appointment, Employment, Evaluation, Reassignment, Duties, Discipline, or Dismissal of a Public Officer.”

It later says, “Discussion of Superintendent’s performance.”

“I’ve been hearing from a lot of teachers who have been really frustrated for a while with the direction the district’s going. Can it all be placed on the feet of Dr. Ramsey? Not necessarily so, but she’s also the superintendent.”

Steven Poole leads the local chapter of the United Educators Association in Fort Worth. He says teachers want better district leadership, but Fort Worth ISD never seems to give its leaders enough time to achieve it.

“It takes five years to turn around the school district, but urban superintendents only last three,” said Poole.

Angelica Ramsey joined Fort Worth ISD in 2022 with controversy from the start as she wrote her college dissertation about Critical Race Theory. However, board members insisted her work, goals, and success were exactly what an academically struggling Fort Worth, with its high population of black and Latino students, needs.

Two board members confirmed to NBC 5 Saturday that the board president hired an outside lawyer to handle discussions with Ramsey. The board members told us the board President stated she’s received complaints about Dr. Ramsey from other board members that need review. They said no final decisions will be made Tuesday night in a private, closed-door meeting.

Earlier in 2024, there were the first real public signs of trouble when board members disagreed over renewing her contract and later refused to approve her strategic plan to improve academics in the district. 

We asked Ramsey back then if something was amiss.

“I don’t feel like we’re butting heads. I think we’re all rowing in the same direction when it comes to students and student outcomes,” she told NBC 5.

Then Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker spoke at a board meeting, and several district employees told NBC 5 she originally asked to talk to show support for the district but instead gave a pointed speech attacking the district and the board for lack of leadership and poor school performance compared to Dallas and Houston.

“What I think is lacking is leadership from the board they’re really struggling with what their place is and how they move things forward,” Parker stated that night last month.

We asked if she wanted Dr. Ramsey replaced, and she said, “No, not my job. ” She added, “I think she’s frustrated, and I understand why there’s obviously a divide between Ramsey and the board. “

Earlier this week, Ramsey released the latest TEA data showing Fort Worth schools were on the upswing, with several campuses rising two letter grades. One elementary school was just two-tenths of a point from a three-letter grade improvement.

Educators there credited Ramsey’s new tier instruction plans. Now, just days later, this meeting is called to discuss her performance with the district. 

The special meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The public will be allowed to comment, but the board will meet behind closed doors to discuss their leader’s performance.