Up to 1,000 high school students from outside Katy ISD can now apply to attend the district's schools under a new Limited Open Enrollment program launching this fall.

The program, reported by KPRC 2, opens seats at each of the district's 10 traditional high schools to students living within a 75-mile radius of the intersection of the Katy Freeway and Highway 99. That circle stretches as far as Bryan-College Station and Huntsville to the north, Galveston to the south, and Bay City to the southwest.

Each campus can accept up to 100 transfer students, for a districtwide cap of 1,000.

Deputy Superintendent Leslie Haack said the initiative responds to flat enrollment numbers statewide and the expansion of Texas Education Freedom Accounts, which give families public dollars for private schooling.

"Parents have options for their children," Haack told KPRC 2. "And as a result of that, I think as a school district in Katy ISD, we need to be responsive to that."

Who can apply

Public, charter, private and homeschooled high school students living within the 75-mile zone are eligible. Students do not pick freely among all Katy ISD campuses. Instead, the district uses an Extended Attendance Zone framework: families select from a designated set of schools associated with their current school district, based on geographic proximity, according to a district enrollment announcement.

Acceptance is not guaranteed and depends on available space at participating campuses.

What families should know

Katy ISD will not provide bus service for open enrollment transfers. Families are fully responsible for getting students to and from school each day.

Once enrolled, transfer students have access to all district programs, including Advanced Placement courses, Career and Technical Education pathways, dual-credit courses through Houston Community College, fine arts and athletics. However, UIL transfer rules still apply. As we reported Monday, transfer students may try out for sports but could face restrictions on varsity eligibility.

Why Katy ISD is doing this

The district, which serves more than 95,000 students across 79 schools, framed the program as one piece of a broader response to a shifting education landscape. Katy ISD is rated the No. 1 school district in the Houston area by Niche, and the district's June 25 announcement positioned the program as a way to share that reputation with more families.

Alongside Limited Open Enrollment, Katy ISD also launched Legacy Virtual High School for students statewide and expanded its Remain-in-Place Transfer option for families who move mid-year.

Haack said the district does not view the program as competition with neighboring districts, calling them "partners."

How to apply

Families can register through a separate PowerSchool portal at katyisd.org/registration. The first day of school for Katy ISD students is Wednesday, Aug. 12.