In Lake Worth ISD’s six schools, all but its high school received an “F” grade. As a whole district, they got a “D” (62), the worst in North Texas this year.
LAKE WORTH, Texas — Lake Worth ISD faces a potential state takeover after the newly-released Texas Education Agency (TEA) A-F school accountability ratings for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 showed an elementary school failing for a fifth consecutive year.
This would be the second school district in Tarrant County to face this intervention, as Fort Worth ISD awaits a decision from Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath in the coming months.
Under Texas law, when a school or district receives a failing grade in the state’s A-F accountability ratings for five consecutive years, it triggers mandatory closure or the possibility of a state-appointed board. For Lake Worth ISD, the school in question is Marilyn Miller Language Academy, which for a 55 out of 100 in the latest ratings release. The elementary school enrolls just over 500 students, 91.2% of whom come from low-income families and 43.6% of whom are emerging bilingual learners, according to TEA data.
During a school board meeting Monday evening, Superintendent Dr. Mark Martinez addressed the issue.
“The data is out, it is what it is. We’re gonna face the challenge ahead of us,” Martinez said. “We’re disappointed in the results. No one in this room is excited about the results we have ahead of us. We’re gonna have to come together to improve this district.”
Martinez said the district already has a data-driven plan in place to turn things around. According to Martinez, district leaders have presented turnaround plans to the TEA and are waiting for feedback and information on next steps.
“What’s at stake? We need to ensure we increase student achievement for all of our campuses,” Martinez said.
During Monday’s meeting, Martinez said the district will focus on implementing an instructional framework across the entire district.
A press release from Lake Worth ISD did not mention a potential state takeover, but rather said the district “recognizes the challenges of being a D-rated district” and added that they “are disappointed, but we are not discouraged.”
“We understand where we are as a district, and we see this as an opportunity to grow,” said Armando Velazquez, Lake Worth ISD Board President. “With a clear plan, a committed team, a sense of urgency, and a belief in the potential of every student, we are confident that the work we do today will lead to a stronger, more successful tomorrow for our entire district.”
Trustee Tammy Thomas said she was grateful for Martinez’s transparency on the matter.
“Thank you for taking accountability for a problem you inherited,” Thomas.
Lake Worth ISD, as an entire district, received a “D” for 2025, which was an improvement from the F it received in 2024, but still the lowest grade received in North Texas. There are six schools in Lake Worth ISD and all but one (Lake Worth High School) received an F.
“We’re going in a positive direction, but there’s still a lot of work that needs to get done,” Martinez said. “We’re disappointed, but we’re excited and energized by what I know we’re going to do, and the work has already started.”
Morath has not commented publicly about the status of Lake Worth ISD. WFAA has reached out to the TEA about possible intervention with Lake Worth ISD. We have not heard back as of publication.
“We have a significant amount of work to do, and we are committed to improving our students’ academic outcomes,” Lake Worth ISD’s press release read.
Martinez discussed the district’s top priorities moving forward:
- Transparent communication and board unity
- Focus on student outcomes and academic excellence (emphasis on math and reading language arts)
- Cultivating a positive and welcoming culture
How are accountability ratings determined?
The Texas Education Agency releases accountability ratings every year, except when legal challenges delay their release. School districts have challenged the state’s rating system in lawsuits, alleging that the TEA made changes to the rating system that made it more difficult to achieve a good rating, and didn’t give districts enough time to adjust.
Judges later ruled that the state can release its ratings for the 2023 and 2024 school years. The 2023 ratings were released in April.
The ratings released Friday are from the 2024 and 2025 school years. The ratings are determined by the school’s performance in three different categories: Student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps.
Student achievement and school progress make up 70% of the final ranking, according to the TEA. The rest is determined by the ‘closing the gap’ metric.
In grade school, student achievement measures whether or not students met expectations on the STAAR test. For high school campuses, it also measures graduation rates and college/career readiness.
School progress measures how students perform on state tests over time and how that performance compares with other schools with similarly economically disadvantaged students.
Closing the gap measures how well schools are boosting scores among special needs and English as a second language learners.
Critics of the accountability system argue that the A-F system harms poorer districts because they are more likely to receive failing grades and face intervention. Advocates say the ratings allow parents to see how their district and school are performing.
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