Texas Appoints New Team to Turn Around Lake Worth Schools

Students in Lake Worth, Texas, just got a fresh start with new leadership focused entirely on getting them to grade level in reading and math.

The Texas Education Commissioner appointed Ena Meyers as superintendent and five community leaders to manage the 3,200-student district after five straight years of failing ratings at one campus triggered state intervention. Meyers, who comes from Houston ISD where she led strategic initiatives, told families Thursday her focus is simple: students, teaching, and learning.

"Our best days are ahead," Meyers said at a press conference announcing the transition.

The five-member management board includes a retired Navy officer, a former Lake Worth teacher who spent decades in the community, a school administrator, and business leaders committed to student success. Tom Harris, who will chair the board, said his priority list is short: "Student outcomes. One, two and three are student outcomes."

The move shifts power from locally elected trustees to state-appointed managers until academic performance improves. It's a reset the district needed after years of challenges, though it means the community must adjust to new leadership they didn't elect.

Meyers plans to spend her first weeks in classrooms, understanding what's already working and making sure teachers have clear expectations and strong support. She emphasized that while she worked with Houston's superintendent, she brings her own leadership style focused on Lake Worth's specific needs.

The Ripple Effect

The change affects more than just test scores. Harris pointed out that every student deserves the same shot at success after graduation, whether that means college, trade school, or entering the workforce. "Students are our future workforce, and we don't talk enough about that," he said.

Even some elected trustees who lost governing authority welcome the reset. Board President Tammy Thomas said she takes comfort in seeing Judy Starnes, a beloved longtime Lake Worth educator, on the management team. "You would be hard pressed to find a better woman in Lake Worth than Judy Starnes," Thomas said.

The new board meets April 29 to set goals, align policies, and begin tracking progress on student achievement. Harris acknowledged the team must earn trust through results, not promises. "You don't earn people's trust overnight," he said. "The only way we're going to earn people's trust is to be able to exhibit the work that's being done has had positive results."

Meyers' message to Lake Worth families emphasizes partnership: she's there to work alongside them, connecting schools more closely with the community while focusing relentlessly on helping every child succeed in literacy and math.

The district aims to bring every campus to at least a B rating by 2028, a goal that will require consistent effort and community support but one the new team believes is achievable with the right focus and resources in place.