Texas taking over three more districts after schools fail for five straight years

Texas is taking over three more school districts as part of its efforts to boost education accountability.

The Texas Education Agency announced Thursday it will assume leadership of the Beaumont, Connally and Lake Worth school districts, replacing their school boards and even their superintendents if necessary.

The takeovers were triggered by each district having at least one school that received a failing grade in the state’s academic accountability system for five straight years.

In October, the agency announced the takeover of the Fort Worth school district, which officials there plan to appeal, The Texas Tribune reported.

The state took over Houston Public Schools in 2023 and has brought marked improvement, moving from 56 failing schools in 2022-23 to none with an F rating in 2024-25.

State Education Commissioner Mike Morath had warned the three districts of a possible takeover after the most recent state ratings were released. Another district, Wichita Falls, also qualified for intervention, but Morath has not announced if he will do so.

The Texas Tribune reported the schools that triggered the takeovers in the three districts are all majority black and Hispanic, and overwhelmingly poor.

In Beaumont – by far the largest of the three districts – its Fehl-Price Elementary School “has never earned an acceptable rating,” and its ML King Middle School hasn’t had one for 11 years, the Tribune reported. The more than 16,000-student district hasn’t been ranked acceptable since 2019, and only 30% of students are at grade level.

The three districts will have the opportunity to informally appeal the state’s decision this month, and then to launch a formal appeal if Morath continues his efforts.

The state is set to revamp its rating system, which was approved in 2015, in 2027.

Texas also approved a $1 billion school choice program, applications for which will open in February, giving students the chance to escape failing schools.

Gov. Greg Abbott also announced last week his intention to opt the state in to the federal school choice program, which will debut in 2027.