Trenace Dorsey-Hollins, president of Parent Shield Fort Worth, said the clinics are meant to help parents take control of their children’s education since many students have struggled academically in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The education advocacy organization Parent Shield Fort Worth is holding a series of literacy clinics at several locations across the city throughout the month of July. During the check-ins, staffers from school districts in the Fort Worth area will give students brief assessments to determine whether they’re reading on grade level, and educators and advocates will be on hand to talk to parents about how to use that information to advocate for their children’s needs.

Trenace Dorsey-Hollins, president of the parent advocacy group Parent Shield Fort Worth, said she’s been pleased to see that Ramsey seems receptive to the idea of talking with parents about their concerns.

Dorsey-Hollins previously had discovered that it can be hard getting school data beyond the traditional report card. So, Parent Shield is doing a deep dive with its first cohort of 25 parents who have been selected to participate in the organization’s advocacy fellowship. They are digging into campus results on the Texas Education Agency’s site to see how well their children’s schools performed on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams. Then, the parents study how the results break down into categories like race and gender.

Six in 10 students who live in Fort Worth did not meet grade level on the state reading test in 2022, according to data from parental advocacy group Parent Shield. The education organization recently hosted a forum with Mayor Mattie Parker to discuss how to shift people’s mindsets around reading and education so Fort Worth can do better.

“My concern, and even the concern that some of the parents who I’ve spoken with, is that the voucher still may not be enough to provide Black and brown children with the adequate education,” Dorsey-Hollins said.

Trenace Dorsey Hollins' organization, Parent Shield Fort Worth, represents hundreds of parents focused on improving education for their children. "Our boots are on the ground, we're knocking on doors, talking to parents," she said.

The next few months promise to be a pivotal time for Fort Worth ISD stakeholders who need the district to succeed.

Fort Worth ISD’s low SAT and ACT scores caused Trenance Dorsey-Hollins, the leader of parent advocacy group Parent Shield, to look into the district’s prep offerings. At the school board’s January meeting, administrators said the district offered SAT prep classes to students.

Today, as a mother of two beautiful daughters, I spend my days advocating for quality education for all children, but especially children in my neighborhood and neighborhoods like mine.

The incident wasn’t the only problem with bus service this year. Trenace Dorsey-Hollins, whose daughter goes to Greenbriar Elementary School, said her daughter’s bus regularly breaks down, causing her to be late for school.

The group is part of the Powerful Parent Movement, which includes groups looking for better schools in San Antonio, Nashville and Memphis.