EDUCATION BRIEFS
News from Katy ISD
HIGHLIGHTS KATY ISD Despite an $8 billion surplus originally set aside for schools before the 88th legislative session, district officials do not anticipate any funds from the state to go toward teacher salary increases. Moreover, a special session on school finance has not been called by the governor, and House Bill 100 failed in the Senate, which could have provided support. However, discussion continues internally through July on whether the district will use local funding to increase compensation by 3% or higher for its teachers and faculty. Katy ISD board of trustees will meet July 31 at 6301 S. Stadium Lane, Katy. Meetings are livestreamed at www.katyisd.org. MEETINGS WE COVER NUMBER TO KNOW remains of Katy ISD’s $67 million allotment from the third round of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, which will be used for staff retention, public health protocols and learning loss. $24.75 M
Katy ISD seeks increased revenue by boosting attendance KATY ISD If Katy ISD grew its average daily attendance rate dis- trictwide by just 0.5% in the 2023-24 school year, it would increase its basic allotment revenue by $2.77 million, officials said. What’s happening? BY ASIA ARMOUR SAMPLE SCHOOL CURRENT GOAL Enrollment 3,100 3,100 Average daily attendance 93.54% 94.04% Number of students absent daily 200 185 ROLL CALL Daily attendance rates are an indicator of student outcomes and contribute to district
funding. To improve ADA the district will ask each campus to brainstorm ways to incentivize attendance. SOURCE: KATY ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Additional students in attendance per day
N/A
+15
Officials are now proposing an initiative incentivizing student attendance for the 2024-25 school year to increase these revenues and improve student outcomes. At a June 26 meeting, Ronnie Edwards, assistant superintendent for school leadership and support, said Katy ISD’s average daily attendance rate, or ADA, has fallen by 2% since the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods for incentivizing atten- dance will be decided by the leader- ship at each school, Edwards said, but could look like competitions at the campus, grade or classroom level with the winners rewarded with a party.
The context The ADA is directly linked to how much of a basic allotment each district receives from the Texas Education Agency—which is $6,160 per student in average daily attendance. KISD finance leaders believe incentivizing atten- dance at a campus level is one way to gain more of these funds. Jamey Hynds, executive director of finance, said an attendance initiative would increase the district’s expenditures, but potential resulting state funding could offset the cost by millions of dollars.
Put in perspective The goal is to increase ADA by a minimum of 0.5% at each campus in the 2023-24 school year, Hynds said. For a campus with 3,100 students, this would mean increasing attendance by 15 students per day. If this happens, Katy ISD will expend $1.49 million but receive a boost in basic allotment revenue of $2.77 million. If the district’s ADA increases by 1%, Katy ISD would expend $2.43 million, but then receive an estimated additional $5.54 million from the state.
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KATY SOUTH - FULSHEAR EDITION • JULY 2023
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