The state-appointed Fort Worth ISD board of managers approved the district’s budget for the upcoming school year during its Tuesday night meeting, including a 5% pay increase for classroom teachers and initiatives aimed at improving recruitment and retention at high-need schools. The budget is designed to focus on student outcomes while directing more resources into classrooms and school campuses. District leaders said the plan also seeks to reduce the need for substitute teachers and give principals more time to coach and support educators. As part of the budget strategy, the district plans to eliminate vacant positions, reduce central office spending and shift additional resources directly to schools. The board also approved a contract settlement for former Superintendent Karen Molinar. Under the agreement, Molinar will receive one year of pay and additional benefits. Molinar was named permanent superintendent by the previous school board before both she and the board were replaced during the state’s takeover of the district earlier this year. In another action, the board authorized Superintendent Dr. Peter B. Licata to make purchases exceeding $250,000 without board approval. District leaders said the move is intended to help prepare for the start of the new school year. Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath named Licata as Fort Worth ISD’s superintendent in March. “I’m proud of this budget because it supports student achievement and it’s at the core of every decision. What is best for students, not adults?” Licata said. District leaders said the budget addresses several challenges facing the district. “When we arrived, we inherited declining enrollment, a structural deficit, a significant academic challenges. The first question this new leadership team asked was not what could we cut. The first question was, what do our students need to be successful?” Students are scheduled to return to school Aug. 11. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication. ...read more read less