Superintendent Angélica Ramsey’s leadership of Fort Worth ISD hangs in the balance.
The school board is expected to meet behind closed doors Sept. 24 to discuss Ramsey’s contract — then emerge for a public meeting where they will consider taking action.
The items related to the superintendent — one in executive session and the other listed as an action item — were not outlined in the school board meeting agenda when it was posted Sept. 20. The document was updated sometime after that date.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the District Service Center, 7060 Camp Bowie Blvd.
“Anticipating that all board trustees will be in attendance at the upcoming meeting, we will continue our discussion on the superintendent’s performance,” board President Roxanne Martinez said. “While I cannot comment on personnel issues, I reiterate that the board will continue to focus on improving student outcomes.”
This is the second time in two weeks the school board has discussed Ramsey, who earns a salary of $335,000. On Sept. 17, trustees discussed her performance behind closed doors after hearing public comments about Ramsey’s performance. No action was taken.
Tensions between Ramsey and trustees reached a boiling point after Mayor Mattie Parker spoke during a school board meeting in August and described the state of the district as unacceptable. Parker told trustees the FWISD had a leadership vacuum after a decade of poor and stagnant academic performance.
In January, trustees and Ramsey agreed to adjust her benefits. She received no raise in pay and, in place of a cash payoff, Ramsey was to receive additional benefits deposited into a retirement account.
In February, Ramsey said the school board breached her contract over differences about her evaluation. In July, the school board gave Ramsey a $15,000 retirement bonus, the lowest contractually obligated amount, and did not extend her contract past its end date of July 26, 2026.
The school board also struck down Ramsey’s proposed strategic plan in a 5-2 vote over concerns about lack of community engagement and two absent trustees. Trustees have not reconsidered the plan.
In 2022, the school board agreed to pay then-Superintendent Kent Scribner $573,077 to buy out his contract and leave Fort Worth ISD.
Jacob Sanchez is a senior education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @MatthewSgroi1.
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This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
