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Monday, Sep. 29, 2025

Fact brief: Can Texas take over a public school district after three straight failing grades?

Jacob Sanchez, Fort Worth Report
no

The Texas education commissioner can take over a school district only if a campus fails in the state academic accountability ratings for five straight years.

However, public charter schools face closure after three years of either academic or financial failures.

A-F accountability ratings are determined by results on STAAR, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness.

A takeover involves the commissioner replacing a school district’s elected trustees with a state-appointed board of managers and installing a new superintendent.

The largest takeover in Texas history was in Houston ISD. The commissioner is considering a takeover of Fort Worth and Lake Worth schools.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

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