Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski laid out a package of new programs Thursday, Aug. 27, aimed at keeping families in the district and drawing students from beyond its borders.
Speaking at the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce State of Schools event, Gregorski introduced what the district calls "Innovative Pathways," a suite of retention and recruitment tools rolling out for the 2026-27 school year. The presentation came three days after the board approved a $1.48 billion budget that assumes essentially flat enrollment for the first time in decades.
"There's a clear connection between innovation, opportunity and enrollment," Gregorski told the audience of business executives, community leaders and elected officials. "When we respond to what families and employers need … we strengthen enrollment and generate additional funding to invest in our classrooms, programs and the learning experiences of the 94,000 students we serve."
The centerpiece is Legacy Virtual High School, which opened for the 2026-27 school year for grades 9 through 11. The school is tuition-free for eligible Texas students, staffed by Texas-certified teachers and tied to multiple graduation endorsements, according to My Neighborhood News. The district reported more than 10,000 virtual course enrollments across 7,600-plus students during summer 2026.
A second initiative, High School Limited Open Enrollment, allows eligible students in neighboring counties to apply to attend a Katy ISD high school. Remain-in-Place transfers let families who move outside district boundaries keep their children enrolled at their current campus.
On the career side, Gregorski highlighted two new Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs: Water Operations Licensing and Underground Utilities. Both are built with industry partners who have committed to hiring graduates, according to the district's announcement.
Why now
The push comes as Katy ISD faces financial headwinds tied to slowing growth. Chief Financial Officer Christopher Smith told trustees at an Aug. 17 work-study session that enrollment declined during 2025-26, cutting state funding after decades of increases, Covering Katy reported. The 2026-27 budget projects about 20 fewer students and carries a $25.7 million shortfall, the fifth consecutive unbalanced budget.
Demographic firm Population and Survey Analysts has attributed the slowdown to declining birth rates statewide, the buildout of Katy-area subdivisions and an aging student population, Community Impact reported. Larger cohorts sit in grades 5-11, while kindergarten and elementary classes are smaller.
Meanwhile, 5,108 students living within Katy ISD boundaries applied for the state's new Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) voucher program for 2026-27, the eighth-highest total in Texas, according to Community Impact. District officials declined to comment on those numbers when contacted by that outlet.
What's next
Gregorski appeared alongside Royal ISD Superintendent Megan C. Pape and Lamar CISD Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens at the chamber event.
The Katy ISD Board of Trustees is scheduled to formally adopt the 2026-27 tax rate at its Sept. 21 meeting. The proposed rate of $1.1171 per $100 of valuation is unchanged from last year.
