Will Gina Hinojosa’s election end the takeover in Fort Worth ISD? – Dallas News

Will Gina Hinojosa’s election end the takeover in Fort Worth ISD?  Dallas News

Fort Worth ISD's path to regaining local control may have gotten faster. That’s if Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa can deliver on a campaign promise to end state takeovers. Some parents took to the polls in Tarrant County, which emerged as a key battleground, with the fate of the district weighing on their minds. Amid a controversial state intervention, Hinojosa’s vows to roll back many of Gov. Greg Abbott’s educational priorities resonated, they say, and her historic win has renewed optimism for the future of Texas public schools. Related: 5 things Gina Hinojosa plans for public education in Texas “The direction the TEA has been going has been the wrong direction,” said Zach Leonard, president of Families Organized and Responding to Takeover, a local advocacy group.“This is repudiation of that.” It’s unclear how quickly Hinojosa can fulfill her pledge to end state interventions — or to what success.

Regardless, families are invigorated by the prospect of change. Last year, Fort Worth ISD fell under state control, after a campus received its fifth consecutive failing grade in the A-F accountability ratings. The Texas Education Agency replaced elected trustees with appointed managers and selected a new superintendent, Peter Licata. The intervention has been marked by turmoil, after the new administration introduced sweeping changes. Parents have called for greater transparency, teachers have left in an