Steven Poole sees a bright future for Fort Worth ISD under Superintendent Karen Molinar.
The executive director of the United Educators Association told trustees during a special school board meeting March 11 that he feels something for the district he hasn鈥檛 in a long time:
Hope.
鈥淪he is the right choice for Fort Worth ISD,鈥� Poole said. 鈥淚t is rare for a superintendent to have taught in the school district that they lead, and Dr. Molinar has, and that buys her instant credibility with teachers and staff.鈥�
Trustees approved a contract with Molinar in an 8-0 vote, formalizing her hiring as the district鈥檚 superintendent after announcing she was the lone finalist in February. Trustee Kevin Lynch was absent from the meeting.
Board President Roxanne Martinez said the details of Molinar鈥檚 contract, including salary, will be made available at a later time. She told the Fort Worth Report to expect it in the coming days.
As trustees entered executive session to discuss her contract, Molinar remained in the boardroom, sharing hugs and receiving congratulations from former and current Fort Worth ISD leaders, and former interim superintendent Patricia Linares.
Molinar has led Fort Worth ISD as interim superintendent since October, steering the district through budget constraints, a renewed focus on literacy and the early stages of a strategic plan to improve student performance. Now, with the interim title removed, she said she is committed to continuing that work while fostering greater transparency and community trust.
鈥淚鈥檓 just very honored to accept this role because Fort Worth is my home,鈥� Molinar said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e my family, and I鈥檓 going to strive every day to make you proud, to build a better district for our students, but then also build a greater city for our students as they become adults,鈥� Molinar said.
Molinar has made literacy the foundation of her priorities, pushing for early reading intervention, stronger classroom support and data-driven strategies to close learning gaps. Trustees she presented in January, which prioritizes investments in student learning.
鈥淟iteracy will always be our top priority until we close the gap for African American students and our emergent bilingual students,鈥� Molinar said. 鈥淲e have a long way to go, but you鈥檒l see our focus on literacy, particularly in middle school grades, where our data shows we need a different instructional approach.鈥�
Trustee Wallace Bridges said he thinks trustees have chosen a great leader, but he called on the Fort Worth ISD community to hold Molinar and the district accountable for student success.
鈥淓ach one of us has a role, and I would hope that we find our place and our space wherever it is,鈥� Bridges said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care what side of town you live in, it is important that we hold Dr. Molinar accountable, that we hold each other accountable to do what鈥檚 best for our kids.鈥�
Her hiring also comes at a time when Fort Worth ISD navigates difficult but necessary conversations about its future. As enrollment declines, the district is considering school closures and budget realignment to better allocate resources.
Molinar has made it clear she wants these discussions to be collaborative, not dictated from the top down.
Trustees praised Molinar鈥檚 leadership throughout these discussions, particularly her commitment to engaging families, teachers and communities in the decision-making process.
鈥淚t was stated earlier about transparency,鈥� trustee Quinton Phillips said.鈥滲ut, I also get to see your kindness, your empathy and the way that you actually care for people.鈥�
Molinar was named lone finalist for superintendent Feb. 18, following a search process in which trustees reviewed more than a dozen candidates. Board President Roxanne Martinez said that while there were strong applicants, none matched Molinar鈥檚 knowledge of the district and ability to lead during a critical time.
鈥淒r. Molinar has demonstrated the focused visionary leadership essential for our district鈥檚 continued growth, and under her guidance we have a bold strategic plan, we鈥檝e strengthened community partnerships, we have enhanced collaboration and boosted the confidence and morale of our staff,鈥� Martinez said.
Although a third-party search firm helped the board find former Superintendent Ang茅lica Ramsey in 2022, trustees opted not to hire a search firm this time around. The district paid Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates $59,270 to find Ramsey. Ramsey after two years leading the district. She remains on the district鈥檚 payroll through Aug. 30, 2025.
Before stepping into the interim role, Molinar served as deputy superintendent from 2020 to 2023 and held several other leadership positions within the district over nearly three decades. She started her career as a teacher in Fort Worth ISD and worked her way up through various administrative roles.
Now, as she takes on the role of permanent superintendent, she said she鈥檚 ready to build on the work she鈥檚 started.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be hard work,鈥� Molinar said. 鈥淏ut it is the right work and it鈥檚 exciting work 鈥� so stick with me.鈥�
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or .
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