Katy ISD's new fully online high school opened Wednesday, Aug. 12, with 147 students enrolled full time from across Texas. Competitive athletes, teens managing chronic illness and students working to support their families are among those the school targets, according to Innovative Pathways principal Kelley Kirila.

Legacy Virtual High School is open to any Texas student entering ninth through 11th grade, regardless of where they live, Click2Houston reported Wednesday. Students don't need to be in Katy ISD's attendance zone. They get a full seven-period school day taught by certified Katy ISD teachers and, upon graduation, a Katy ISD diploma and transcript.

"If you're living in the state of Texas, you're a student who's an incoming 9th through 11th grader, you absolutely could get a Katy ISD education from wherever you are," Kirila said.

What full-time students give up

Full-time virtual students cannot participate in UIL activities. That means no varsity sports, no marching band, no theater productions through the district. For families weighing the switch, that's the central concession: flexibility in exchange for UIL eligibility.

The restriction matters here. Katy ISD is known for powerhouse athletics and fine arts programs. A student who enrolls full time in LVHS gives up the chance to compete under the district's banner, even if they live within its boundaries.

How the school day works

LVHS delivers seven class periods online each day, mirroring a traditional campus schedule. The district has offered virtual courses to its own students for about 15 years, and more than 10,000 students took supplemental online classes through Katy ISD during summer 2026.

Superintendent Ken Gregorski listed the virtual school's launch as one of six district priorities for 2026-27 during his Aug. 7 back-to-school address to nearly 14,000 employees.

Who enrolls

The program serves students who need scheduling flexibility: competitive athletes with heavy travel schedules, students with medical conditions that limit campus attendance and teens who work full time, according to Kirila. The school is also open to students already living within Katy ISD's boundaries who prefer an online format.

As we reported Aug. 4, the district opened LVHS enrollment statewide as part of a broader push to attract students beyond its geographic footprint. That effort also includes a separate limited open enrollment program offering 1,000 in-person high school seats to out-of-district families.

How to enroll

Registration is open at lvhs.katyisd.org/students/registration. The school offers both full-time and supplemental enrollment options, along with endorsement pathways and support for special populations. No enrollment deadline has been publicly announced.