Fort Worth Independent School District
Superintendent
Dr. Peter B. Licata
Dr. Peter Licata is a veteran educator and school superintendent with more than 30 years of experience improving outcomes for students, regardless of their zip code. He most recently served as the Superintendent and CEO of Broward County Public Schools, the sixth-largest school district in the United States, with more than 250,000 students and 32,000 staff members.
Dr. Licata led the district to its first state “A” rating in more than 14 years and eliminated all “D” and “F” schools. He also increased graduation rates and expanded access to advanced academic opportunities, especially for students who had historically been underrepresented. He accomplished these gains while reducing central office costs by more than $20 million, maintaining a classroom teacher vacancy rate of less than 1 percent, and stabilizing long- challenged operational systems.
Before becoming superintendent in Broward County, Dr. Licata served for many years in senior leadership roles in the School District of Palm Beach County, the nation’s 10th largest school district, including Regional Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for Choice and Innovation. In these roles, he oversaw academics, operations, finance, talent, and community engagement across dozens of schools and consistently achieved strong school performance ratings and graduation outcomes, including in high-poverty and Title I communities.
Dr. Licata began his career as a classroom teacher and coach and later served as a middle and high school principal, where he earned recognition from the Governor of Florida for significant gains in student achievement and graduation rates. He also served as a graduate professor of educational leadership, preparing the next generation of school leaders, and became a nationally recognized presenter on career and technical education, innovation, and leadership.
Throughout his career, Dr. Licata has been guided by a simple but unwavering belief: Trust cannot be broken, values cannot be negotiated, and every decision must be anchored in what is best for students.
“My North Star for Fort Worth ISD is simple and unwavering: every student reading on grade level, mastering mathematics, and graduating prepared for college, career, or military service in a system strong enough to sustain that success long after state intervention ends.” — Dr. Peter Licata
Dr. Peter Licata
Superintendent
Veronica Ramirez
Manager, Superintendent’s Office
Read the Superintendent's Spotlight Newsletter
Memos from the Superintendents Office
Watch Dr. Peter B. Licata’s Introductory Press Conference
Hear directly from Dr. Licata as he is introduced as superintendent of Fort Worth ISD and shares his commitment to student outcomes, district leadership, and the path ahead.
Dr. Peter Licata was appointed superintendent of Fort Worth ISD in 2026 as part of the district’s leadership transition under the Texas Education Agency. Learn more about the transition and governance updates, here.
Superintendent Dr. Peter B. Licata's Theory of Action
Pillar 1: Excellent Academic Performance for All Students
Academic achievement is the district’s top priority. We will set clear and ambitious performance targets and meet them. Strong core instruction, accelerated learning, consistent use of data, improved student engagement, and differentiated support where needs are greatest will drive measurable gains for all students.
Pillar 2: Excellent Instruction Delivering High‑Quality and Focused Curriculum
We will reduce variability across schools and narrow achievement gaps by delivering challenging reading and meaningful math, taught by a teacher who deeply knows the content and lesson. When this is consistent across classrooms, students master grade level standards and achieve measurable gains in literacy and math. Aligned materials, pacing, assessments, and targeted professional development make excellence predictable, reducing variability across schools and narrowing achievement gaps.
Pillar 3: Excellent Talent, Incentivized to Empower Students
We will recruit and develop high performing educators and compensate them for the full value they bring to students, with performance-based pathways that may exceed $100,000 for highest-performing classroom teachers. Differentiated pay for high need campuses, leadership pipelines, and strategic staffing will position the district as a destination employer. District and school-based staff will operate in strong alignment around a shared mission and values, with collective ownership for results.
Pillar 4: Excellent CCMR Pathways for Graduates
Expanded, high demand career and technical education programs, strong industry partnerships with local businesses, dual credit, apprenticeships, and stackable certifications will ensure every graduate is prepared for college, career, or military service in high wage, high growth fields. Students will leave with meaningful credentials, real world experience, and a clear path to family sustaining wages and choice filled lives.
Pillar 5: Excellent Service to Students, Families, and Staff
Maintain an efficient, focused Central Office team aligned on the overall goal of ensuring a high-quality experience for students, families, and staff every day. Ensure a high-functioning central office through clarity of roles, transparency, alignment of Finance and Operations to performance goals, and prioritization of campus-level funding.