The success of the Leadership Academy Network, the innovative partnership between Fort Worth ISD and Texas Wesleyan University, was recently featured on the online education news website The 74.

The story, written by Beth Hawkins, focused on Como Elementary, one of five once-struggling FWISD schools that joined an education model pilot program in 2017. The network is building on the success of that pilot with additional funds that have gone towards more resources for the schools. As Hawkins explains, for Como, that means higher teacher and administrator pay, five additional staff members, a longer school day and more afterschool activities.

Texas Wesleyan’s impact is being felt in classrooms across the network. Its School of Education assisted with the purchase of literacy intervention kits that are helping struggling readers at Como improve their skills.

“When you step into these schools, there’s this very felt difference of energy in the school itself. There’s a feeling of belonging and of pride, of being in this together,” Sarah Geer, program officer at Rainwater Charitable Foundation, who helped plan the initial pilot program, told Hawkins in the piece.

Check out the full story.

About the Leadership Academy Network

Established in February 2019, the Leadership Academy Network is a first-of-its-kind partnership between Fort Worth ISD and Texas Wesleyan University, designed to sustain rising academic performance of the District’s five Leadership Academies. Piloted by the District in 2017, the Leadership Academy model is based on instructional excellence, extended learning, social-emotional support, highly qualified principals and teachers and parent and community partnerships. First-year results showed improvement at all schools. Texas Wesleyan was selected by Fort Worth ISD to sustain and support this model by managing the schools in accordance with a performance contract mutually negotiated by the partners. Dedicated to education and the community, Texas Wesleyan is a long-time partner to Fort Worth ISD. The University’s School of Education offers innovative and exceptional experience in classroom instruction, curriculum and administration. The partnership is made possible by 2017 Texas Senate Bill 1882, which enables districts to expand the diversity of school options, bring in targeted expertise and empower school leaders and partners with greater autonomy. Network schools are the Leadership Academies at Como Elementary, John T. White Elementary, Maude I. Logan Elementary, Mitchell Boulevard Elementary and Forest Oak Middle School.