Fort Worth ISD trustee Wallace Bridges wants the district to be careful in its consideration of school closures.
At a May 14 board workshop, Bridges highlighted the district’s need to balance fiscal responsibility with community impact. There’s a lack of trust between the community and the district, he said.
During the meeting, trustees and Superintendent Angélica Ramsey received an update on the district’s $2 million master facilities plan. The presentation revealed that Fort Worth ISD’s middle schools face $130 million in deferred maintenance needs, with nearly half categorized as in poor condition.
“We must consider not just the numbers but the impact on the communities we serve,” Bridges said. “It’s more than just numbers on that paper. People’s lives are affected by this.”
In April, Fort Worth ISD hosted community meetings at six middle schools, informing parents and residents that closures could be coming.
The plan indicated that renovations to the schools would be costly and student consolidation would be more cost-efficient. The district is considering the closure of McLean 6th Grade Center, Daggett Middle School, Kirkpatrick Middle School and either Morningside Middle School or William James Middle School.
The upcoming closures of Wedgwood Sixth Grade and Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade are unrelated.
While no official decision has been made, Bridges said parents and community members feel closures are a done deal and that their input is meaningless. Some families have asked for renovations, only to feel overlooked, he said.
“Many communities have been left out, for many years, in many of these buildings that have had challenges … there’s a lack of trust there,” Bridges said.
Now, with the board considering the latest round of findings, Bridges urged the district to be transparent in discussions with community members, especially concerning schools in poor condition.
The presentation, led by Tracy Richter, vice president of planning services at the firm in charge of the master facilities plan, Alabama-based Hoar Program Management, showed that 10 of the district’s 22 middle schools are currently in poor condition.
Buildings are categorized by the facility condition index, a standard metric used to evaluate building conditions from good, a rating ranging from 0 to 5%, to critical, which is any evaluation above 30%.
What is the facility condition index?
The facility condition index (FCI) is a metric that measures the condition of a building’s inventory by comparing the total cost of repairs and upgrades to the building’s replacement value.
Among district middle schools, Leonard Middle School, Morningside Middle School and Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Middle School are in the worst condition, according to the findings. J.P. Elder Middle School faces $18.5 million in deferred maintenance needs, which is the highest in the district.
Two schools are labeled as being in good condition — Jean McClung Middle School, which opened in 2011, and Young Women’s Leadership Academy.
Assessments also show that many of the district’s middle schools are nearing the critical threshold, as projections indicate steep rises in facility condition indexes over the next 10 to 15 years if no actions are taken.
“If nothing is done, each building can go from a good, or fair, to a poor very quickly. … In 15 years or less, you could be in critical condition,” Richter said.
Richter also introduced the “two-thirds rule”: When renovation costs exceed 65% of replacement costs, building replacement should be considered.
“Buildings become candidates for replacement, just simply due to the life values of your dollar.” Richter said.
None of the district’s 22 middle schools exceed that level, or will in the next 15 years, according to the findings.
In addition to the physical condition assessments, the update on the plan covered educational adequacy, which examines whether school facilities meet the district’s educational standards. These assessments consider factors like the presence and condition of elements such as interactive displays and adequate space for specialized programs.
“It’s not just about fixing what’s broken,” Richter said.
He emphasized that facilities should support the educational programs the district offers.
Constructable costs are related to upgrades that can be feasibly executed within the existing structures, like adding interactive displays or replacing air conditioning systems. Forest Oak Middle School and Stripling Middle School have the highest constructable costs in the district, according to the findings.
Nonconstructable costs involve extensive changes that are impractical due to site constraints or require significant structural changes.
Because of these higher nonconstructible costs, Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade, McLean 6th Grade Center and Wedgwood Sixth Grade are the least educationally adequate middle schools in the district, followed immediately by Applied Learning Academy, according to the findings.
Rosemont Middle School and Jean McClung Middle School are the most up to date in meeting educational standards.
After trustees were presented with the data, trustee Roxanne Martinez agreed with Bridges. The district must make communication a priority — whatever decisions come out of this latest round of data, she said.
“We need to over-communicate opportunities for engagement,” Martinez said. “Especially during the summer, when families might not be as connected to school activities.”
The planning timeline targets December for the presentation of the final facility master plan. Still, Richter acknowledged the potential need for flexibility to accommodate thorough community engagement.
As the district moves forward with the plan, ongoing updates and transparent communication will be vital, Martinez said.
Editor's Note: This story was updated 5/21 to replace a transcription error regarding the "two-thirds rule."
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @MatthewSgroi1 on X. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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