Fort Worth ISD to Vote May 7 on $1.2 Million Elementary Gender Curriculum, Documents Show

The May 7 Vote

Fort Worth Independent School District trustees plan to vote May 7 on a $1.2 million contract that would make a gender identity curriculum mandatory for all students in grades 3 through 5, according to two teachers at the district and a school board member familiar with the vote. The curriculum, titled "Healthy Hearts, Open Minds: An Inclusive Approach to Identity," would be introduced in August if the measure passes, the sources said.

The proposed contract with Inclusive Learning Partners, an Austin-based curriculum vendor, would run for three years and require the district to pay $400,000 by July 15, according to documents reviewed by The Alamo Post. The vote is scheduled for the regular board meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the district administration building on Churchill Road, the school board member said.

Two teachers at the district, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the plan, said district administrators briefed elementary faculty on the curriculum during after-school sessions on April 28 and April 29. The teachers said they were told the material would be woven into existing social and emotional learning blocks rather than taught as a standalone course.

"We were shown slide decks and told to expect training in June," one teacher said. The second teacher said the district emphasized that the lessons would be mandatory and that opt-outs would be limited to individual activities, not the full curriculum. Both teachers said they were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements regarding the details of the April briefings, though neither signed.

The school board member, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the proposal advanced through the board's curriculum committee on April 24 without a recorded vote. The member said the full board was briefed during a closed session on April 30 and that the item was placed on the May 7 agenda shortly afterward. The member said at least two trustees have privately raised concerns about the lack of public review.

Curriculum Details and Parent Reaction

The proposed curriculum includes 12 lessons per grade level, according to a parent who reviewed the curriculum and a district planning document dated April 22. The parent, who has a child in fourth grade, said the lessons include discussions of gender expression, pronoun usage, and family structures. The parent spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for retaliation against their child.

The April 22 document, titled "Elementary Social and Emotional Learning Scope and Sequence 2026-27," lists the new material under the heading "Identity and Belonging." The document states that students will learn to "recognize that gender identity may differ from sex assigned at birth" and will practice "using respectful language when discussing identity with peers." The same document notes that teachers will be expected to use students' preferred names and pronouns in class without requiring parental notification.

Inclusive Learning Partners has existing contracts with at least four other Texas districts, according to the company's website and state procurement records. The Fort Worth contract would be the largest the vendor has secured in the state, based on the $1.2 million total value. The contract also includes a $75,000 annual licensing fee for digital materials and assessments, the documents show.

The school board member familiar with the vote said the proposal was placed on the May 7 agenda without a dedicated public comment period specifically for the curriculum. The member said trustees expect a packed meeting and that at least two board members plan to vote no. The member declined to name the dissenting trustees.

Local parent groups have begun organizing in response. A flyer circulated on social media over the weekend calls for parents to attend the May 7 meeting and to contact trustees before the vote. The flyer, reviewed by The Alamo Post, lists the names of all nine trustees and provides a phone number for the district administration office. A parent organizer told The Alamo Post that more than 200 families have joined a messaging channel to coordinate attendance.

The Fort Worth chapter of a statewide parental rights organization told The Alamo Post it plans to file a public records request on May 6 for all communications between district officials and Inclusive Learning Partners. The group also said it is considering a lawsuit if the board approves the contract without what it calls "meaningful parental notification." The group has retained a Dallas law firm for preliminary legal review, according to a chapter leader.

What Happens Next

If the board approves the contract on May 7, district administrators plan to hold teacher training sessions on June 2, June 3, and June 4 at the administration building, the two teachers said. The training is expected to cover lesson delivery, student questions, and protocols for responding to parent concerns. Teachers who complete the training will receive a $150 stipend, according to the documents.

The first $400,000 payment would be due July 15, with subsequent payments of $400,000 scheduled for July 15, 2027, and July 15, 2028, according to the contract documents. The agreement also includes a $75,000 annual licensing fee for digital materials and assessments, the documents show. The district has budgeted the funds from federal Title I allocations and a state mental health grant, the school board member said.

The board member familiar with the vote said the district intends to notify parents about the curriculum through the district's online portal by July 1. The notice will include a summary of the 12 lessons and instructions for parents who wish to review the full materials, the board member said. The parent who reviewed the curriculum criticized the planned notice as "vague" and said it does not disclose the mandatory nature of the lessons.

Opponents of the plan said they expect to challenge the vote within days. The parental rights group said it will seek an injunction before the start of the school year if the board approves the contract without expanding opt-out rights. The group declined to name the retained law firm.

State education officials in Austin have not commented on the proposal. A spokesman for the Texas Education Agency said the agency does not review local curriculum contracts before they are approved. The spokesman declined to say whether the agency would investigate parent complaints after the vote. A spokesman for Governor Greg Abbott did not respond to a request for comment on May 5.

The May 7 vote comes as school districts across Texas face growing pressure over classroom content. Last month, the Keller ISD board rejected a similar proposal after parents packed three consecutive meetings. Trustees in Frisco and Plano are scheduled to consider related policies later this month. National education groups are tracking the Fort Worth vote because the district is the fifth largest in Texas, with roughly 73,000 students.

Watch for the board agenda to be posted on the district website by 5 p.m. on May 5, and for national outlets to begin seeking comment from district officials on May 8 or May 9. The outcome could influence how other large Texas districts handle similar proposals before the start of the 2026-27 school year. A final vote tally is expected shortly after 8 p.m. on May 7.