A split Fort Worth ISD board gave Superintendent Angélica Ramsey a raise in her retirement account after listening to public criticism of her and then discussing her performance for almost five hours behind closed doors July 16.
After going behind closed doors for a scheduled evaluation of the superintendent, board members emerged to announce their decision — although they declined to disclose details of the vote Tuesday night.
On Wednesday, Fort Worth ISD trustees said in a joint statement that they modified Ramsey’s contract to deposit $15,000 into her retirement account because she met performance goals as outlined in the original contract. Ramsey is eligible for $15,000 to $25,000 in additional retirement funds each year, according to the original contract.
“This decision underscores our commitment to supporting Dr. Ramsey’s leadership and her ongoing efforts to guide the district towards achieving its goals,” the statement reads.
However, trustees were divided over the move, voting 5-4 to approve the deposit. Trustees Anael Luebanos, Kevin Lynch, Quinton Phillips, Roxanne Martinez and Tobi Jackson voted to approve the deposit, while Anne Darr, Camille Rodriguez, Michael Ryan and Wallace Bridges dissented. Following the vote, Bridges told the Report he misunderstood the initial motion and meant to vote the opposite way, though he didn’t go into detail about what was unclear.
The specifics of Ramsey’s performance goals also remain unclear, as the district hasn’t publicly set academic goals for the district since she took over in 2022. The district has also delayed release of a new strategic plan that was originally set to be complete by April.
After the meeting, Rodriguez, the board president, declined to comment on the modified contract. District officials also declined to provide specific performance measures, asking the Report to make a public records request. A copy of Ramsey’s contract before the modifications made Tuesday does not outline specific performance goals.
The Report has requested the newest version of Ramsey’s contract and the specific key performance indicators she has met. Ramsey’s contract, which includes a salary of $335,000, currently expires in 2026.
The decision to modify Ramsey’s contract highlighted the board’s continued support for the superintendent despite vocal opposition from parts of the Fort Worth ISD community, said Amanda Inay, who formerly taught in the district.
Inay, who won the district’s teacher of the year award in 2023, resigned in May, citing a “toxic work environment” that remains “persistently negative,” according to a copy of her resignation letter. Inay, who resigned May 24, publicly supported the termination of Ramsey’s contract during the July 16 meeting.
“Clearly, we are taking our talents to environments where we are valued, supported and where children are the center,” Inay told Ramsey and the board. “You hold a high responsibility and honor of educating thousands of precious children under Ramsey’s leadership. It has been proven that children are not the center and retaining educators are not priorities.”
Timeline of superintendent Angélica Ramsey’s contract with Fort Worth ISD
September 2022 – Hired as superintendent
July 2023 – Contract extended through July 2026
January 2024 — Contract amended to include additional benefits; no extension to the contract length
July 2024 — Awarded a $15,000 retirement deposit, but no further extension of the contract discussed
Of the six residents who spoke on Ramsey’s contract, five urged the board to terminate it. Michael Bell, a Fort Worth activist and pastor of Greater St. Stephen First Church, echoed Inay’s sentiments, criticizing the lack of a new strategic plan and slow academic progress made under Ramsey’s tenure.
“Two years later, there’s no district education improvement plan to date. There’s no strategic plan that was promised by Ramsey in April 2024 and fewer and fewer of our students are meeting grade level standards,” Bell said. “This board continues to reward Dr. Ramsey for incompetence and gross ineffectiveness.”
In an interview, Bridges said he understands the community’s frustration. Academic performance throughout the district hasn’t improved since he was elected to the board in 2022, he said, and it’s about time for that to change.
“Promises were made that it’s going to be different,” he said. “We cannot afford to wait any longer.”
The district’s excuses for why improvement on the STAAR test has plateaued include disruptions from COVID-19, the state’s redesign of STAAR in 2023 and the lack of state funding for education, Bridges said.
Like Inay, Bridges had noticed staff leaving the district at a high rate.
“We’re losing some of the really good people to other areas. We have to look at ourselves,” he said. “People who ate, slept and breathed Fort Worth ISD are out of here. They’re frustrated.”
The district sent the wrong message, he said.
“I don’t think they’re feeling valued — something’s wrong with that,” Bridges said. “I apologize to my community for where we are.”
Fort Worth resident Janie Ginn offered a different perspective than the rest of the night’s speakers. Ginn, who has been involved with the district as a parent for 20 years, urged trustees and residents to give Ramsey some leniency.
“Last year was Ramsey’s first full school year with us,” Ginn said. “This district was a large ship, it was run aground, and Ramsey has come in and she’s trying to turn this ship around and get it sailing back.”
State standardized test results from spring 2024 show that across all subjects, 1 in 4 students in Fort Worth ISD met grade level. About 1 in 3 students met grade level in reading, while 1 in 4 met grade level in math — numbers that are consistent with 2023 results.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @MatthewSgroi1. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.