We live in a time when our nation, state, city, and even our families are stuck in partisan division, mistrust, and conflict. Even so, we believe that, rather than deepening those divides, the state intervention in Fort Worth ISD offers an opportunity for all of us to work together and stand on the common ground we share: we all want what is best for our kids. 

Fort Worth is a city of great promise. We are thriving in many ways, but most of our students are not thriving. Our strongest and most important resource is our people. And as we look to the future, we recognize how critical it is that we invest in our children—both for their own sake and for the sake of our city. 

We in Fort Worth do not get to choose who the new leadership of FWISD will be. The Board of Managers will be chosen from among us, and the Superintendent will be chosen for us. However we feel about whoever is chosen and the situation we find ourselves in, it is up to us to work alongside the new FWISD leadership to ensure that our kids receive the education they need and deserve.

We believe this intervention can bring us together rather than push us apart, because of two foundational truths we all share.

First, too many of our children cannot read at grade level, depriving them of the gift of an education that grants them access to the lives and opportunities they want and deserve. Last year, only 38% of FWISD students were reading at grade level. That means 43,515 of 70,185 children were below grade level in reading. 49,831 children were below grade level in math.  

These numbers are consistent with the real-life outcomes our students are facing. Only 14% of FWISD 8th graders went on to earn a 2- or 4-year degree or an industry certification by age 24. And we know that without a postsecondary degree or credential, most young adults in Fort Worth are not on a path to a living wage. 

We believe this is a civic and moral crisis. 

It’s a civic crisis because of what this means for our city. If we don’t address this now, there are huge, long-term, citywide effects for our workforce, economic development, poverty, crime, and public health.  

It’s a moral crisis because of what this means for our kids themselves. Most of our children in Fort Worth cannot read at grade level. They are not thriving academically, and that means the door is already closing on their ability to access the future that they deserve to have. 

We agree that this is not acceptable for Fort Worth kids. And we confess that each of us individually and all of us collectively have been a part of the problem. 

The second truth that holds us together is that we can do better. 

We envision a city where every child learns to read well no matter where they live or what school they go to, where college, career, and military readiness are within reach for every graduate, and where the achievement gap for our minority and economically disadvantaged students is not just narrowed but fully closed. 

Even now, there are a select few FWISD schools that are bright spots, schools that outperform expectations and demonstrate that all students, regardless of background, can achieve at high levels. Our hope and commitment is to make great student outcomes available for ALL Fort Worth students and not just some. 

As we face the challenge of state intervention in the local school system, we stand together under these two truths: 1) Too many of our children are not receiving the education they deserve, and 2) we can do better. 

We who sign this letter certainly disagree on many things.

But here is where we agree: We are putting Fort Worth students first. We are committed to working together to do the best we can for our kids. We are united in our desire to do everything we can to give our children the futures that they deserve and that our city needs—no matter what the state does or does not do. And we believe that if we stay together on behalf of this vision, it will give our students their best chance at succeeding. 

We recognize the enormity of this challenge, but with unity and strong leadership, together we can create a beautiful future where every Fort Worth family can confidently choose our public schools, knowing their children will receive a world-class education.  

It’s going to take all of us: individuals, businesses, government, civic leaders, and our entire community supporting our teachers and school leaders and, most of all, supporting our kids and their families. 

We can do this. We will do this. Together. Our kids are counting on us.