Fifth grader Jesus Cruz squinted at an image of a spiral galaxy, his voice rising just enough to catch the visitor鈥檚 ear.
鈥淚 wonder why it spirals,鈥� he said.
Across the classroom, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath stood beside a table of laminated photos detailing spiral, elliptical and irregular galaxies as science teacher Emily Forehand guided her students through a matching game.
鈥淭ake 30 seconds of silence,鈥� Forehand told them. 鈥淲hat features help you decide which picture represents each galaxy type?鈥�
For several minutes, the Lucyle Collins Middle School students filled the room with quiet discussion and scribbles on worksheets. Morath looked down at their desks intently as he listened, hands clasped behind his back, before turning toward principal Antonio Tijerina and a small group of Lake Worth ISD leaders.
Tuesday鈥檚 visit wasn鈥檛 just a lesson in astronomy, though. Morath was at the 3,200-student district鈥檚 west Fort Worth campus as he weighs whether to appoint a state board of managers or to close one of its schools after .
鈥淚 saw evidence of significant practice, practice that will result in learning. I also saw evidence of significant challenges,鈥� Morath told reporters after touring classes.
In August, Morath had a similar as part of his review of that district鈥檚 . The commissioner said he uses his classroom observations to determine how districts support students and teachers firsthand.
Under state law, when a campus posts five consecutive F grades under the state鈥檚 academic accountability system, the commissioner must either close the failing school or replace the locally elected school trustees with a board of managers he appoints. He may also remove the district鈥檚 superintendent.
In Lake Worth ISD, Marilyn Miller Language Academy reached that threshold, and four of the district鈥檚 other campuses also received failing grades in the latest round of state academic accountability ratings.
He has not yet made a decision, but the law requires him to act once appeals conclude in December, Morath said.
鈥淯ltimately, state intervention is required,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he question is what form of intervention is best for students here.鈥�
Lake Worth ISD leaders showcase early gains
Superintendent Mark Ramirez, who joined the district in May, said he hopes the commissioner sees how Lake Worth is rebuilding its instructional systems, from aligning lesson plans across campuses to providing teachers with more classroom feedback.
鈥淲hat I know he鈥檒l see is everything we started in June and July coming to fruition,鈥� Ramirez said before the visit. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been working hard on consistency from campus to campus, being intentional, knowing every student, where they鈥檙e at and what they need.鈥�
During the district鈥檚 Oct. 20 board meeting, Ramirez highlighted signs of improvement.
Beginning-of-year data from the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress, or MAP, assessment 鈥� a national exam Lake Worth ISD uses to track student performance throughout the year 鈥� showed nearly a 10-point decrease in the percentage of students scoring at the lowest academic tier compared with fall 2023. Attendance rose about a percentage point to 94%.
Teachers credited the progress to increased accountability, shared learning materials and what district surveys described as a 鈥渕indset and culture shift,鈥� Ramirez said.
Administrators have conducted more than 1,100 classroom walk-throughs since the start of the school year to monitor lessons and provide feedback, he said.
Morath said he evaluates both quantitative and qualitative indicators when considering state action. He pointed to the importance of structured lesson plans, ongoing coaching for teachers and consistent leadership routines. Teachers must have the resources they need to do the work well, he said.
鈥淲e owe our teachers a higher duty of support,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f they鈥檙e staying up nights and weekends planning for Monday鈥檚 instruction, that鈥檚 not a good situation for anybody.鈥�
Morath acknowledged Lake Worth鈥檚 recent reforms 鈥� including seeking help from and other turnaround consultants 鈥� but questioned why board members did not act sooner. Lake Worth ISD鈥檚 board is not 鈥渂rand-spanking new,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he question is, where was the urgency four, five, six years ago?鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pleasing to see these kinds of change. Would they happen without the state paying attention?鈥�
鈥楧o what鈥檚 best for the students鈥�
State Board of Education member Brandon Hall, who joined Morath on the visit, said he saw strides but also significant challenges.
鈥淲e need to do what鈥檚 best for the students,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淚f the local board is able to put together a structure that helps teachers and lifts outcomes quickly, then I鈥檓 OK with that. But if intervention is necessary to pull those outcomes up, I鈥檓 OK with that as well.鈥�
He pointed to the that the state board narrowly approved for public school use as a way to help Lake Worth鈥檚 students improve in math and reading. The district鈥檚 elementary schools began using Bluebonnet materials this semester.
While Morath鈥檚 decision lingers, Ramirez鈥檚 focus remains on what鈥檚 within his control, he told the Fort Worth Report.
鈥淚 worry about the decisions I can make,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l keep showing the growth and moving Lake Worth to where we know it can be.鈥�
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or .
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