For the third consecutive year, Katy ISD was recognized as the #1 School District in the Greater Houston Area by Niche, Superintendent of Schools Ken Gregorski announced at Katy ISD’s annual “State of the District” event at the Merrell Center on October 20th. Gregorski attributed the achievement to the collective efforts of Katy ISD students, teachers and staff, and the strong partnership that exists with the community.

“This year’s theme, ‘Inspiring Excellence: Learners into Leaders,’ speaks to the awesome responsibility our educators take on every day to deliver knowledge, skills and mentorship to students throughout our schools who will be leaders of tomorrow,” said Gregorski. “Through academics, extracurricular experiences and community service, emerging leaders across our classrooms are being driven by the excellence their teachers, principals, support staff, or even campus namesakes and volunteers, have sparked in them,” he added.

Guided by the district’s Strategic Plan, Katy ISD is positioned for long-term success and continuous student improvement and growth, Gregorski said. He outlined the eight goals that work synergistically and safeguard the educational system that has been built in Katy ISD, which include:

· Personalized Learning

· Enhanced Operational Systems

· Meaningful Student Assessments

· Robust Digital Infrastructure

· Teacher Recruitment and Retention

· Advocacy for Adequate School Finance

· Strategic Partnerships

· Student and Staff Well-being

Attracting and retaining world-class educators is high priority for the Board and administration, according the Gregorski. To nurture these aspiring educators, the district is set to launch the Alternative Certification Program, or ACP, designed to “grow-our-own” certified teachers. This program, which is expected to be a, approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) this school year, will provide a nontraditional pathway for degreed professionals to transition into Katy ISD teaching positions. This program, along with the Katy Leadership Pipeline that provides professional development, growth and training opportunities for administrative staff, and a prioritized compensation plan that exceeds the market median for classroom teachers, bolsters the district’s commitment to recruit, train and retain the very best educators for its students.

Creating safer schools and communities for all Katy ISD children, staff and residents is of the utmost importance, Gregorski said. The district continues to build partnerships around emergency response protocols and interagency relationships to provide safe learning and teaching environments for students and staff. The district’s safety protocols meet and exceed the recommendations outlined by the TEA and the Texas School Safety Center, Gregorski said, including recent legislation from the state that requires an

armed officer on each campus. He described the safety drills and mandatory training and the layered measures of security that exist across the district.

Gregorski also spoke about the forthcoming bond election. To manage the district’s growth – now at over 95,000 students and 12,000 employees -- the district is going out for 2023 Bond in this November’s election cycle. The Katy ISD Bond includes four Propositions that address specific needs such as new schools, safety and security upgrades, classroom and campus technology (including a one-to-one student device ratio for grades three through twelve), renovations to campuses, component replacements for existing districtwide natatoriums, and repairs to campus athletic facilities and Rhodes Stadium. “The four bond propositions total $840.6 million dollars and represent a zero-tax rate increase,” said Dr. Gregorski. “You should also know that Katy ISD property taxes will decrease by 18.5 cents this coming year due to the property tax relief bill passed by the Texas Legislature,” he added.

Despite the challenges that exist at the legislative level with securing adequate funding for public schools, Katy ISD remains an A+ school district because of what its teachers and staff deliver to the kids in its classrooms every day, Gregorski said. With massive increases in utility and operational expenses, the Basic Allotment that funds every public-school child in Texas has remained stagnant since 2019, he said. “With $4 billion dollars that remain unspent that could directly support public education, these dollars would enable school districts like Katy to keep up with rising costs while continuing to raise the bar for student achievement, attract and retain high-quality educators, provide safe learning environments, and further bolster the economic engine of the community,” Gregorski said.

Other highlights presented by Gregorski included:

· TEA 'A' rating

· Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) 'Superior Achievement' recognition (20 consecutive years)

· Forbes List of America's Best Employers in Texas title (fourth time in the last five years)

· Eight Katy ISD high schools among the top 17% in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report

· “Best Communities for Music Education” award from the National Association of Music Merchants (named for 21 years)

· 179 student-athletes and 203 fines arts students who signed collegiate letters of intent last school year.

In his closing remarks, Gregorski stated, “Katy ISD schools provide a world of excellence, and it is truly amazing what we have built here together for our children, families and community.” In keeping with this theme, “Together, we will continue to inspire excellence, shaping not just learners, but the leaders who will light the path for generations to come,” he added.