Literacy Problems in Fort Worth

By Nisie

It may be hard to believe, but according to a study in 2025, the National Literacy Institute claims that about 21% of Americans are considered functionally illiterate. That means almost 21% of adults are below a 5th-grade reading level. Sadly, despite some improvements, students in Fort Worth could suffer the same fate if the numbers don't improve. 

                 Fort Worth ISD has been receiving a lot of attention since the TEA takeover back in 2025. But as the city’s largest district, it saw a 6-point leap in improved reading levels and a 4-point increase overall across all subjects. But that’s not to say there are not massive improvements to be made. 

Fort Worth Education Partnership’s 2025 STAAR data report shows that William James Middle School is the lowest-performing school in Fort Worth, with only 7% of its students meeting grade-level proficiency standards. How could this be, when Overton Park Elementary on the southwest side of Fort Worth reported that 82% of students were meeting grade-level standards? This disparity is a growing concern for parents and students in Fort Worth. But Fort Worth ISD is addressing those concerns by increasing literacy programs and increasing staff at schools with D or F ratings. But parents cannot entirely blame the schools.

A 2025 HarperCollins survey found close to 20% of parents who claimed to have “rarely” or “never” read to their child between the ages of zero and two, and 8% of parents claimed they “rarely” or “never” read to their child between the ages of three and four. Reading to your child is crucial to their future reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and even their emotional well-being.

Maybe students, parents and faculty must move forward with a two-pronged attack on the problem. Schools in Fort Worth must continue closing the gap between their highest- and lowest-performing campuses, and parents must recognize that literacy begins at home, long before a child ever steps into a classroom. The stark difference between William James Middle School’s 7% proficiency rate and Overton Park Elementary’s 82% is not just a statistic — it reflects systemic inequities that demand urgent, community-wide action. If Fort Worth is to avoid becoming another chapter in the national illiteracy story, the responsibility falls on all of us.