Menu

Fort Worth ISD board meeting, Jul 21, 2026

4 h 14 min · 20 public speakers

Budget cuts and layoffs ▶ 2:54:42

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 4 h 14 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Fort Worth ISD board approves governance timeline and uncertified teaching extension request 3:09:04

  • Speakers at public comment raised teacher resignations, the reassignment of an incoming Western Hills High School principal, and requests for one written document on classroom expectations. 1:48:19
  • The board approved the Lone Star Governance Implementation Timeline, with October 31st set as the final due date, by a vote of 7 yes, 0 abstentions and 0 nos. 3:09:04
  • First readings of revised ethics and conflict of interest and real estate policies were approved, with final consideration expected in August. 3:34:36
Item by item (12)
  1. Opening and meeting guidelines 9:44
    • The meeting convened at 5:00 PM with a quorum and recessed to executive session. 9:44
    • Open session reconvened at 6:08 PM, followed by the national anthem and the pledge. 1:17:33
    • The presiding officer said signs must be handheld and may not exceed 11 by 17 inches under updated meeting guidelines. 1:20:51
  2. Public comment 1:19:44
    • Speakers also asked for one written document on classroom expectations and raised questions about a new RFP for the 7 tracts adjoining Farrington Field. 1:35:48
    • Several speakers at public comment raised teacher resignations, with one speaker citing 1,026 teachers and another citing more than 1,000. 1:48:19
  3. Changes to public comment format 2:29:57
    • The presiding officer said that beginning August 11th, 2026, public comment will be divided into 3 parts covering consent items, action items and any topic. 2:31:05
    • Speakers registered for one portion will receive 3 minutes, and those registered for more than one will receive up to 2 minutes in each. 2:31:51
  4. Superintendent update 2:32:48
    • The superintendent said the district had about 20 teacher vacancies, down from approximately 200 or more on arrival. 2:33:27
    • The superintendent said the time to clear new hires dropped from 30 to 40 days to approximately 5 days. 2:34:44
    • Asked about specialized staffing, the superintendent listed 25 SLP vacancies and 11 school psychologist vacancies and said the numbers would be posted on the web. 2:40:39
  5. Community listening committee report 2:43:42
    • Rosa Maria Berdeja presented the ad hoc committee's recommendations for uniform listening session materials and a timeline toward adopting goals and guardrails. 2:43:52
    • Rosa Maria Berdeja said an online survey is live and that responses will be treated the same as listening session input. 2:48:53
    • Rosa Maria Berdeja said the timeline includes additional community feedback on draft goals and guardrails between September 16th and 30th. 2:50:42
  6. Real estate committee report 2:51:24
    • Frost Prioleau said the committee's recommendations are preliminary and that final recommendations will come at the August board meeting. 2:53:48
  7. District organizational chart report 2:54:42
    • A district staff member said direct reports to the superintendent dropped from 15 to 8 in the 2026⁠-⁠2027 organizational chart and that the full chart would be posted on the district website. 2:55:30
    • The superintendent said the district would continue cutting during the year rather than cover the budget gap from savings. 3:00:27
    • The staff member said a breakdown of total savings and administrative cuts would be provided to the board as a follow-up. 3:02:02
  8. Consent agenda 3:05:15
    • The board president noted a revision to the employment practices policy requiring positions to be posted for no fewer than 5 working days. 3:05:15
    • Tennessee Walker asked whether a process exists for community involvement in reviewing the student code of conduct in future years. 3:06:46
    • The superintendent said the district would work to gather community input on the code of conduct next year. 3:07:20
    • The consent agenda passed with 7 yes votes, 0 no votes and no abstentions. 3:09:04
  9. Lone Star Governance implementation timeline 3:09:04
    • A presenter said the roughly 25-page implementation timeline is a living document that the board will modify. 3:19:35
    • Rosa Maria Berdeja said the goal is to provide goals and guardrails to the superintendent for budget work and that about 60 listening sessions had been suggested. 3:22:51
    • A speaker recommended moving the due date from October 15th to the end of October. 3:24:35
    • The board approved the timeline 7⁠-⁠0 with October 31st as the final due date. ~3:32:10
  10. Ethics and conflict of interest policy first reading 3:34:14
    • Frost Prioleau moved to approve the first reading of revisions to board policy BBFA Local on ethics and conflict of interest disclosures. 3:35:05
    • A speaker summarizing the policy said board members would be prohibited from accepting anything of value from vendors and a board member with a substantial interest would have to refrain from voting. 3:35:19
    • The first reading was approved. 3:35:19
  11. Real estate sale policy first reading 3:35:19
    • Frost Prioleau said a significant transaction would be one with a financial value over $5 million or significant civic value. 3:40:44
    • Frost Prioleau said the process would include a community input plan with at least 1 public meeting and a written comment channel open for 30 days. 3:44:49
    • Luis A. Galindo asked the public to comment on the policy before it becomes final. 3:47:13
    • The first reading passed with seven yeses, zero abstentions and zero nos. 3:49:58
  12. Uncertified teaching provisions extension 3:49:15
    • A district staff member said the extension would allow hiring uncertified staff if needed and that the district hired 998 certified teachers in June and July. 3:51:38
    • The staff member said the plan caps uncertified teachers at 12%, requires a 4% decrease each year and reaches 0% by 2029⁠-⁠2030. 3:55:46
    • Another staff member said 308 teachers were hired in uncertified status as of Saturday, including those already in CTE positions. 4:00:27

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

What was said

What board members said, in order

When we look at the teacher population on August 10th, what number of those teachers do you anticipate will be uncertified?Pete Geren · President3:55:12
Other meetings

Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “FWISD School Board Meeting - July 21, 2026”