Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Angelica Ramsey voluntarily resigned late Tuesday night after board members met to decide the school leader's future.
Ramsey will step down from the Superintendent role effective next Tuesday, and will leave the district entirely August 30, 2025 according to a joint statement released.
The announcement came after three hours of a closed-door board meeting. The resignation was approved by an 8-1 vote. Camille Rodriguez who has been a vocal supporter of Ramsey voted against accepting the resignation.
Board President Roxanne Martinez answered a question NBC 5 asked about why she voted to accept Dr. Ramey's resignation.
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"The board will, of course, be moving forward with our commitment and focus on student outcomes and improving student achievement," she said.
Sources close to the discussions between the board and Dr. Ramsey, tell us the two sides planned to release only that brief joint statement together, but after Martinez shared her thoughts, Dr. Ramsey did too, releasing a lengthy document outlining her successes in the district, and involvement in the community.
"I joined Fort Worth ISD to make a meaningful impact on the education of students like myself. My goal was to implement systems that empower all students to reach their fullest potential," said Ramsey in the statement. "Together, we have begun to see the positive outcomes of these efforts. Since my arrival, the district has risen from a D to a C rating, with several campuses showing notable improvement. This is a testament to the hard work of our students, teachers, and staff."
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This all started last month when in the same meeting Mayor Mattie Parker criticized the district for a lack of leadership, and poor test scores compared to Dallas and Houston ISDs. Parker confirmed to NBC 5 she met privately with Ramsey and the board. Parker said there was disagreement between board members about Ramsey's performance.
The board elected a new slate of board officers the same night Parker aired her grievances. The new board quickly called a special board meeting to debate Ramsey's performance behind closed doors last week. Then her contract was added to the board's agenda Tuesday night, and after hours of discussion came the resignation.
Recent STAAR data shows improvement in Fort Worth ISD compared to other districts. in several data points. and several education experts say it's common believe you need five years to turn a district around, but scores did drop under Ramsey's tenure from 2022 to 2023 before rebounding. But the STAAR test was reconfigured that year, and TEA self reported that scores would drop for most districts.
Ramsey's contract was on the agenda tonight, and board members met privately for more than three hours after supporters and critics voiced their concerns
"Dr. Ramsey engaged with me as if we were old acquaintances," said an employee who learned she and Ramsey used to live in the same town. "What superintendent stops and answers every single email? Dr. Ramsey does."
"Instead of clearing obstacles out of our way so we can do the job you hired us to do, you have micromanaged us into a state of demoralization, you have laid the blame for the chaos and lack of achievement in the district at our feet," said another speaker.
The vast majority of those at the meeting Tuesday night didn't mention Ramsey by name but spoke to ways the district isn't measuring up and demanding change.
The board said they will appoint an interim leader while they search for a new Superintendent. In previous meetings there were calls from the community not to hire a search firm and conduct a national search, but quickly hire someone from within.
Deputy Superintendent Karen Molinar, has served in the interim role in the past, she has a 25+ year history with the district.
