Voters Embrace Familiar Faces in Fort Worth ISD School Board Elections
Incumbents poised for another term on the Fort Worth Independent School District's board of education.
Looks like the folks of Fort Worth are sticking with the familiar faces in their school board after a tumultuous year that included the city's mayor calling on trustees to up their game and the appointment of a new superintendent.
Incumbents Roxanne Martinez, Michael Ryan, and Camille Rodriguez were on their way to securing an extra four-year term on the nine-member board, according to unofficial election results at 10:29 p.m. on May 3.
Rodriguez, a podiatrist, found herself in a close race against educator Amanda Inay for the District 1 seat, representing the northwest areas of Fort Worth ISD. Rodriguez lead by 137 votes, claiming 53.5% to Inay's 46.5%. This marks Rodriguez's second full term on the board, having previously served from 2004 to 2008, and returning to fill an unexpired term in 2022.
The tussle between Inay and Rodriguez was by far the most contentious Fort Worth ISD school board race this cycle, with nearly $60,000 in donations, mostly going to Inay. The For the Children political action committee, the largest donor, contributed $35,000 to Inay, having also given Rodriguez $500 in 2023.
Meanwhile, Martinez and Ryan crushed their opponents.
Martinez emerged victorious in the District 9 race with a whopping 74.2% of the vote, compared to Robyne Kelly's 25.8%. District 9 encompasses the Diamond Hill neighborhood, Riverside, downtown Fort Worth, and beyond the Fairmount area. Martinez, a marketing powerhouse, decided to seek another term as she believes Fort Worth ISD is heading in the right direction, with a lot of work still needed on budget balancing, school closures, and academic turnaround.
Ryan gathered 73.5% of the vote to Terry Roach's 26.5% in the District 7 race, representing the westernmost areas of Fort Worth ISD, including Benbrook. The retired educator and former Fort Worth ISD administrator is eager to complete unfinished business, including raising academic standards and managing the district's growth area, which is the only one experiencing population increases. He hopes to push for the acquisition of land for a future high school-only campus in Benbrook.
Rodriguez, Luebanos, and Bridges, who were unopposed, will join the newly-elected board members to serve four-year terms.
Jacob Sanchez, a senior education reporter for the Fort Worth Report, and Matthew Sgroi, an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report, can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected] respectively.
In Other School Districts:
In nearby Northwest ISD (a separate district), Judy Copp (unopposed, Place 4) and Jeff Dearing (Place 3) were elected, highlighting financial stewardship and community involvement[2]. Princeton ISD's results revealed a contested school board race, but specifics weren't detailed[3].
- In the race for the District 1 seat in Fort Worth ISD, Camille Rodriguez, a podiatrist, secured a second full term against educator Amanda Inay with a margin of 137 votes.
- Rodriguez's victory follows a contentious campaign with almost $60,000 in donations, with the For the Children political action committee contributing $35,000 to Inay and $500 to Rodriguez.
- Roxanne Martinez, a marketing powerhouse, won the District 9 race with 74.2% of the vote, highlighting her dedication to addressing budget balancing, school closures, and academic turnaround in Fort Worth ISD.
- In a separate district, Judy Copp was elected in Northwest ISD, emphasizing financial stewardship and community involvement, while specifics of the contested Princeton ISD school board race were not detailed.
