Katy ISD will lose one of its most experienced board members Oct. 12 after trustee Rebecca Fox announced she will step down seven months before her term expires to move near family in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

No replacement plan has been announced.

Fox, who has served across two stints on the board dating to 2004, told fellow trustees at the July 27 regular board meeting that she plans to relocate to be near her daughter and newborn grandchild.

"I don't want to miss that. I don't want to piecemeal that," Fox said at the meeting, according to Covering Katy.

Fox holds Position 6 on the seven-member board. Her term was set to expire in May 2027, and her departure creates a vacancy heading into a packed fall governance calendar.

What happens next

Under Section 11.060 of the Texas Education Code, the remaining trustees can appoint someone to serve until the next regular election, call a special election or leave the seat empty until voters choose a successor in May 2027. Because less than one year remains in Fox's term, state law does not require the board to fill the vacancy.

Board President Lance Redmon said at the July 27 meeting that leadership planned to meet that week to discuss next steps and bring the vacancy question to a future agenda, according to Covering Katy.

As of Wednesday, Aug. 5, the district had not announced a replacement plan, the Katy Times reported.

Fall calendar

The vacancy comes as the board faces major decisions. At the same July 27 meeting, trustees approved the launch of Legacy Virtual High School for grades 9–11, a construction contract for the new Opportunity Awareness Center, July 2026 budget amendments and compliance measures for Senate Bill 12, according to the board's meeting agenda.

The 2026–27 school year begins Aug. 12. The board's next work study meeting is scheduled for Aug. 17, followed by a regular meeting Aug. 24 and a special strategic planning session Aug. 31.

Fox's record

Fox was first elected in 2004 and served until losing her reelection bid in 2019. She returned after winning election in 2021 and was reelected in 2024. She helped establish the Katy ISD Education Foundation and was among its first investors. In October 2025, she was reelected to the Texas Association of School Boards Board of Directors for a three-year term representing Region 4.

Fox said she announced her plans nearly three months early to give the board and community time to prepare. She also said she will close her campaign account and donate remaining funds to the Education Foundation.

The board's next regular meeting is Aug. 24, when trustees could take up the vacancy question.