Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Focused on “Struggling” Schools in First Full Year On Job

A new school year brings a new list of priorities. In the Fort Worth Independent School District, Superintendent Kent Scribner is starting his first full year on the job, pledging to focus on "struggling" schools that aren't meeting state standards. There are 21 of those schools in the Fort Worth ISD this year, out of 129 rated campuses.

Como Elementary School is one of those schools that needs help, and to pay for more resources the superintendent cut his own administrative cabinet from 24 people to 11.

NBC 5 asked Scribner what students and parents will actually see this year as a result that they didn't last year. He says teachers will be learning right along with the kids.

Isaac Washington is like a coach for teachers at Como Elementary. He's among the 70 leaders who will be in struggling Fort Worth schools this year that need help reaching state standards.

"We've all decided that if we're going to make it to the destination, we all have to be headed toward the same place," said Washington.

So Direct Interactive Instruction Coaches, like Washington, will help align the district's teaching strategy. They'll be using best practices to make sure kids are meeting benchmarks in math and reading, especially by third grade.

"An entire organizational cultural shift, toward focused on student growth, focused on early childhood education," Scribner said.

The shift came when Scribner eliminated 13 administrative positions from his cabinet and redirected the money, $1.3 million, to under-performing schools.

To parents like Cherrysh Anderson, it's the right move.

"Without them being at the expense of paying high salaries to people that we don't know what they do, we never see them and they're never around," said Anderson.

She's grateful for already dedicated teachers at Como Elementary, but knows every dollar will help every student catch up.

"That extra money definitely helps, especially with the area that we're in. It helps our kids learn and get out here and do what they need to do," said Anderson.

Resources can be different at schools like Como, where there's a large number of students on free and reduced lunch. For instance, every child there gets breakfast in the morning.

But the district mantra is that all children can learn, by getting their school and their family engaged.