The Texas Education Agency on Thursday appointed a conservator for the Fort Worth Independent School District and said it will go ahead with appointing a Board of Managers in the state's takeover of the district.

This comes after last week's informal review and a special meeting on Tuesday during which the Board of Trustees decided not to take any action regarding the state's takeover of the district, but voted unanimously not to change Superintendent Karen Molinar's contract, which goes until June 2028. 

The appointed conservator, Christopher Ruszkowski, will oversee and support Fort Worth ISD's improvement efforts and report on the district's progress, effective immediately.   

TEA will continue with the process of taking applications from interested candidates for the Board of Managers and the superintendent search. 

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath previously told CBS News Texas that he has begun a nationwide search for a new superintendent.

In a video posted to the district's YouTube page, Molinar said she intends to apply for the superintendent position.

"The focus remains on meeting the needs of our students in FWISD," Molinar said in a statement. "Our employees are committed to providing high quality, on-level instruction each day in every classroom across our district. We understand there may be questions, and right now this is the information we have. As TEA provides further guidance, I will share it promptly with our community."   

Fort Worth ISD Board "strongly disagrees" with TEA decision

The Fort Worth ISD Board of Trustees released a statement on Thursday saying it strongly disagrees with TEA's decision. 

"We believe our district has demonstrated meaningful progress and that local governance, supported by our community, is essential to sustained student success," Roxanne Martinez, the president of the Fort Worth ISD Board of Trustees said in a statement. "We are immensely proud of the work being led by our educators, staff, and Superintendent. They continue to provide high-quality instruction to our students every day and remain steadfast in their commitment to serving this community."

Martinez said the Board will consider all options, including filing a formal appeal of the decision.

What is a conservator?

Like a monitor, a conservator will provide support and coaching to staff, recommend improvement actions, and provide progress updates to the agency, according to the TEA. 

The conservator has the authority to direct, approve, or disapprove an action of the board of trustees, superintendent, and/or campus principals. They are expected to help implement and sustain improvements within two years of placement, the TEA said.

Who is the appointed conservator, Christopher Ruszkowski?

Ruszkowski began his career in education as a middle school social studies teacher in Miami-Dade, Florida. A first-generation American raised in the Midwest; he holds degrees from Stanford University and the University of Minnesota.

Ruszkowski previously served for six years as Chief Talent Officer and Associate Secretary, Teacher & Leader Effectiveness, at the Delaware Department of Education, where he co-led implementation of former President Barack Obama's Race to the Top initiative under Governor Jack Markell (D), according to Harvard's Graduate School of Excellence.

Ruszkowski recently served as New Mexico's Secretary of Education under Governor Susana Martinez (R), where the state achieved record-high graduation rates and record-low college remediation rates while increasing standards for earning a diploma, Harvard's Graduate School of Excellence says.

"Throughout my three decades in education, I've been honored to take on unique roles during critical inflection points for schools, states and organizations," Ruszkowski  said in a statement. "This conservator appointment is another opportunity to engage in public service of the highest calling. I look forward to working with district leadership in service of the students, teachers and community of Fort Worth." 

Ruszkowski also serves as the TEA Conservator for IDEA Public Schools.

According to the TEA, Fort Worth ISD must foot the bill to pay Ruszkowski at a rate of $250 per hour. Failure to make timely payments may result in money being deducted from the district's Foundation School Program funds.

TEA takeover

This comes in the aftermath of the Texas Education Agency announcing a takeover of the district last month.  

The district was eligible for state intervention because one of its campuses, The Leadership Academy at Forest Oak 6th Grade, received its fifth consecutive "unacceptable" academic rating for the 2022–2023 school year (The 2022-2023 rankings are the most recent available due to ongoing legal challenges).

Support for Molinar

Following the takeover announcement, one FWISD teacher said Molinar has earned her trust, and she'd like to see her stay. 

 "Superintendent Molinar, she is the most exceptional leader I've ever worked for," said Kelsey Delatorre. "She believes in all of us, and she has an open door, and takes any kind of concern that any of us have, regardless of our position. First and foremost, I feel grateful for the work that they have done, and I hope to be an advocate for Superintendent Molinar. That is my ultimate hope that she stays in the position she is in because she is a part of the reason why I work for this city."

There's been some turnaround under Molinar's leadership, which has been less than a year. 

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker expressed support for Molinar in the moments after the state takeover was announced, calling her potentially transformative for the district.