Fort Worth Independent School District — Financial

Fort Worth ISD's finances have been under pressure for more than a year, and the strain shows in three developments starting in late 2025. That October, the district reported it had earned only 7% of the state's graduate-readiness bonus: just 19% of its 4,648 graduates in the Class of 2023 qualified by enrolling in college, earning a career credential, or enlisting in the military. That meant $1.4 million of a possible $19.4 million, and the district did not simply lose out on a deadline — the other $18 million was never earned because most graduates didn't meet the readiness marks. Over six years, Fort Worth ISD estimates about $103 million has gone unearned this way.

Last June, the Board of Managers adopted a 2026-27 general fund budget of $904 million against projected revenue of $854.2 million. The $49.8 million gap was covered by dipping into savings, and district projections show the fund balance shrinking every year — from covering about four months of operating costs in 2024-25 to only about two months by 2028-29.

Then in July, the district's new leadership moved to make cuts as part of the same 2026-27 budget, eliminating about 349 central-office and administrative positions and reducing the superintendent's direct reports from 15 to 8. The changes save roughly $28.5 million a year. Taken together, the district is trimming its workforce to slow the drawdown of reserves while a substantial source of state funding remains largely unrealized.