Fort Worth ISD reducing budgets, cutting staff

Fort Worth ISD jobs on the line with budget cuts

Some Fort Worth ISD staff members will find out this week if they're losing their job. The superintendent says the district has to make cuts to deal with a projected budget deficit.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Fort Worth ISD will reduce budgets and cut staff as the district deals with several challenges.

District Superintendent Dr. Angelica M. Ramsey cited an expected decline in enrollment, the failure of the Texas Legislature to increase public school funding, fewer federal dollars, and a projected budget deficit among the reasons behind the cuts.

Ramsey said impacted employees will be told no later than Friday.

"It is with a heavy heart that we make these decisions, and we are doing so as early as possible to provide ample time for affected employees to explore alternative opportunities," she wrote.

The district said it will continue to hire for some positions within Fort Worth ISD and that there may be some opportunities for people who wish to remain with the district to do so.

The district also said there will be an emphasis on protecting programs and resources directly tied to student achievement.

Fort Worth ISD cut budgets by $1.6 million at the district level last year, according to Ramsey.

The school board held a special meeting Monday night where it took comments from the public. But the trustees themselves did not speak about the pending reductions.

Some parents and teachers expressed frustration with the process and asked some pointed questions about sharing the burden of the cuts.

"Number one, who decides which employees stay and go? What is the criteria for this decision besides the money? Number three, how are we in such a deficit while we sit and stand in this expensive building? Also, what about reductions for Dr. Ramsey that she could take along with other admins?" said Fort Worth ISD ATPE President Meredith Bowman. "The big question here is where is the transparency? What do all these questions have to do with cutting employees? Teachers and employees are afraid to speak up and let you know their concerns."

"When the email went out, my phone rang nonstop today from your teachers. Teachers that are mad, saying, ‘I’m just gonna quit. I don't even want to be here anymore. I'm tired of this.' These are good teachers. We want these teachers," said Hollie Plemons, a mother of three.

The school board is set to meet again Tuesday night in a closed session to discuss the cutbacks with district lawyers.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Schools make cuts due to lack of funding from TX

Texas school districts are faced with making cuts because lawmakers did not increase school funding.

Fort Worth is one of several districts being forced to make cuts for the next school year.

There has been no increase in student funding from the state since 2019.

Lawmakers did not increase school funding or teachers' pay as they battled over education savings accounts for parents.

Gov. Greg Abbott said he would refuse to sign a school funding bill without lawmakers passing school vouchers, a push that failed repeatedly under opposition from Democrats and some rural Republicans.

In the upcoming Republican primaries, Abbott is backing the opponents of Texas House members who voted against school vouchers.