DON’T BELIEVE THE DRAMA. STUDY THE DATA. The Great Fort Worth ISD Turnaround: How Principal Charmika May Became the Face of One of Fort Worth’s Most Remarkable School Transformations.

DON’T BELIEVE THE DRAMA. STUDY THE DATA. The Great Fort Worth ISD Turnaround: How Principal Charmika May Became the Face of One of Fort Worth’s Most Remarkable School Transformations.

By Staff Writer

FORT WORTH — At a time when Fort Worth ISD continues navigating one of the most difficult and heavily scrutinized periods in its modern history, many community leaders say finding and celebrating educational success stories has become critically important for the morale of the entire city.

In the aftermath of the Texas Education Agency takeover of Fort Worth ISD, public conversations surrounding the district have often centered on instability, accountability failures, staffing shortages, political conflict, and declining public confidence.

But amid the criticism and controversy, one campus transformation is quietly reshaping the conversation through something many educators say matters most:

Results.

Inside the halls of Eastern Hills–West Handley Elementary School, a remarkable turnaround is unfolding — one that parents, educators, faith leaders, and community advocates are beginning to describe as one of the most impressive school transformation stories in recent Fort Worth history.

At the center of that turnaround is Principal Charmika May.

When Fort Worth ISD consolidated two struggling elementary campuses into one newly merged school community, many observers privately questioned whether meaningful success could happen anytime soon.

The challenge facing May was enormous.

Two campuses with failing accountability ratings.

Two school cultures.

Two staffs.

Two communities carrying years of academic struggles, instability, frustration, and uncertainty.

The new principal would be expected to unify operations, restore morale, improve instruction, stabilize staffing, rebuild trust among families, strengthen campus culture, increase student achievement, and merge two school identities into one cohesive community — all while under the microscope of state accountability pressure and public scrutiny.

And she would have less than one school year to do it.

For many educational leaders, simply surviving the merger would have been considered an accomplishment.

But according to district projections and campus data, Eastern Hills–West Handley Elementary is now projected to improve from a 47 accountability score to a projected 76 — a dramatic 29-point increase in less than one year.

Those numbers are now drawing attention throughout Fort Worth education circles.

“This is not ordinary growth,” said Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church and president of the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas. “This is transformational leadership under extraordinary pressure. What Principal May accomplished deserves serious attention because this type of turnaround simply does not happen often — especially during a campus consolidation.”

Tatum said the timing of the turnaround makes the accomplishment even more important.

“In a season where so much attention has been placed on what is wrong with Fort Worth ISD, it is equally important that we identify what is working,” Tatum said. “The morale of a city matters. Teachers need encouragement. Parents need hope. Students need examples of excellence. Principal Charmika May is one of those shining stars in education who should be honored, studied, appreciated, and supported throughout Fort Worth ISD.”

Because of those accomplishments, the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas recently announced that May will be honored as its 2026 Texas Principal of the Year during the National LULAC Convention Youth & College Expo in Fort Worth.

But supporters say the numbers only tell part of the story.

More Than Test Scores

Long before accountability projections improved, many connected to the campus say the atmosphere inside the school had already begun changing.

Teachers describe stronger systems and clearer expectations.

Parents describe improved communication and greater consistency.

Students describe increased structure and stability.

Community members describe renewed confidence and pride.

Educational experts frequently note that campus consolidations often create years of disruption. Staff uncertainty, student anxiety, transportation changes, scheduling confusion, and cultural clashes can negatively affect student achievement long before improvement begins.

Instead, supporters say Eastern Hills–West Handley experienced the opposite.

The merger appears to have accelerated growth.

Among the reported campus outcomes:

• Student growth outcomes increased from 28% to 93% meeting growth goals on STAAR assessments.

• Fourth- and fifth-grade students achieved 82% expected or accelerated growth in math and 75% in reading.

• Third-grade reading proficiency at Eastern Hills Elementary reportedly increased from 6% to 36% of students performing on or above grade level.

• The campus also earned distinctions in Closing the Gaps and Postsecondary Readiness.

Education advocates say those improvements suggest the development of sustainable systems capable of producing long-term student achievement.

“She brought structure, accountability, and belief back into the building,” Tatum said. “And perhaps most importantly, she brought stability. Schools cannot improve when chaos becomes normalized. Principal May created systems where teachers could teach and students could learn.”

A Veteran Educator With Deep Fort Worth Roots

May’s success did not happen overnight.

A veteran Fort Worth ISD educator since 2005, she has spent nearly two decades serving students in some of the district’s most challenging educational environments.

Her career path includes service as a classroom teacher, department chair, instructional coach, assistant principal, and campus principal.

She previously worked at O.D. Wyatt High School and McClung Middle School before becoming assistant principal and later principal at Eastern Hills Elementary.

Colleagues say that experience helped prepare her for the complexities of transformation leadership.

Her leadership style has been described as collaborative, systems-focused, student-centered, and deeply grounded in data-driven decision-making.

Supporters say she concentrated not only on academics, but also on rebuilding campus morale during a time when many educators across the nation are leaving the profession.

“She did not inherit an easy situation,” said one community supporter familiar with the transition. “She inherited instability, uncertainty, and pressure. But instead of making excuses, she built systems.”

May earned her Master of Education in Educational Leadership with principal certification from Prairie View A&M University after receiving her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University.

“Don’t Believe the Drama. Study the Data.”

The slogan now associated with the turnaround effort — “Don’t Believe the Drama. Study the Data.” — has quickly become a rallying cry among supporters who believe public education conversations too often focus exclusively on negativity while overlooking measurable progress.

Fort Worth ISD, like many districts across Texas, continues facing major challenges involving staffing shortages, accountability concerns, student discipline, learning loss recovery, and public criticism.

Yet supporters argue the Eastern Hills–West Handley turnaround demonstrates what remains possible when leadership, discipline, instructional systems, and community support align around a shared mission.

“This story matters because it gives people hope,” Tatum said. “In an environment where people constantly hear what is wrong with public education, Principal May has shown what is still possible when leadership and commitment come together.”

Community leaders also say the turnaround offers an important reminder that successful schools are built through partnerships between educators, parents, students, faith leaders, and neighborhoods working together toward a common vision.

A Recognition Larger Than One Campus

Principal May will formally receive recognition during the 2026 National LULAC Convention Youth & College Expo on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth’s historic 76104 community.

Organizers say the recognition is intended not only to honor May personally, but also to spotlight educators across Texas who continue producing extraordinary results despite difficult circumstances and limited resources.

For many supporters, the turnaround at Eastern Hills–West Handley represents more than improved test scores.

It represents resilience.

It represents disciplined leadership under pressure.

It represents hope during uncertainty.

And perhaps most importantly, supporters say, it represents proof that struggling schools and communities can still rise when vision, accountability, consistency, and belief come together.

In a season dominated by criticism and pessimism surrounding public education, the message emerging from one Fort Worth elementary school is both simple and powerful:

Don’t believe the drama.

Study the data.

EVENT INFORMATION

2026 National LULAC Convention Youth & College Expo

Honoring Principal Charmika May as the 2026 Texas Principal of the Year

Thursday, June 18, 2026

New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church

2864 Mississippi Avenue

Fort Worth, Texas 76104

For more information, contact:

Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr.

817-966-7625

Visit: New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church