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Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Peter Licata said only 20 teacher vacancies remain in the district as the first day of school approaches on Aug. 10.
Licata said at Tuesday’s Board of Managers meeting these numbers are “astonishingly low” compared to the amount of vacancies the district usually has prior to the beginning of the school year, though he did not share numbers on vacancies in previous years.
While Licata gave his opening remarks, which included addressing teacher vacancies, several attendees laughed, and one held a cellphone that said “liar, liar” toward the board.
Licata said that in addition to the 20 teacher vacancies, there were vacancies for 25 speech language pathologists, 11 school psychologists, five dyslexia specialists, four inclusion teachers, two bilingual support specialists and 11 bilingual support teachers.
In April, Star-Telegram media partner WFAA reported that the district had over 200 teaching vacancies. Denisha Presley, chief talent officer for the district, said it began the 2025-2026 school year with 239 vacancies.
Presley told the Board of Managers that over the last few months, the district has hired 142 uncertified teachers.
Licata said that the district will update the website with vacancies every day or “as possible.”
The Fort Worth ISD Board of Managers voted unanimously at its July 21 meeting to revise the board policy regarding employment practices. Previously, exempt level positions were to be posted no fewer than 10 business days, which has now been removed from the policy.
The process to fill exempt level positions also changed. Previously, applicants were to be reviewed by a screening committee to suggest top applicants to the superintendent’s leadership team, who then sent a recommendation for filling the position.
Under the passed revisions, the board will delegate the superintendent final authority to hire contractual and noncontractual employees.
The revisions come after the board voted to redline its policy that outlined the rights and legal procedures of certain employees in May.
“Fort Worth ISD has begun an incredible journey. We still have much work ahead, but tonight we can also recognize meaningful progress,” Licata said.
Editor’s note: Board of Managers Chairman Pete Geren is the president and chief executive officer of the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, which is a funder of the Star-Telegram’s Crossroads Lab. The Star-Telegram retains independence in all coverage decisions.
