Why Work in Katy ISD?
Location
Katy ISD’s boundaries stretch from Houston’s energy corridor along Interstate 10 approximately 16 miles west of downtown Houston, to approximately three miles west of the charming and historic town of Katy. A perfect blend of country and city lifestyles, Katy has easy access to shopping, professional and collegiate sports, world-class performing arts, museums, and a smorgasbord of eating places ranging from prestigious restaurants to homey eateries. Best of all, the cost of living ranks among the most reasonable in the nation.
Recognized
- Thirty-two Katy ISD schools are rated “exemplary” or “recognized” by the Texas Education Agency.
- Fourteen schools have earned the National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Award.
- All secondary schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
- For the 16th year in a row, Katy ISD was named one of the nation’s most sought-after school districts by School Match, a nationwide school information service.
- A community survey conducted by Katy ISD in the spring of 2006 revealed that Katy ISD is one of the single major factors that brings new residents to the Katy area.
- Five Katy ISD schools are among an elite group public schools statewide to be named to the Texas Business and Education Coalition 2007 Honor Roll.
- Katy ISD’s Pre-School Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) was one of only four in the state chosen for the Texas Education Agency’s 2004 Showcase of Promising Practices for Special Education.
- For the fifth year in a row, Katy ISD was named one of the top 100 places to live in America for quality music education according to the American Music Conference.
Outstanding Kids
Katy ISD’s enrollment has surpassed 54,000 in 2007 and more students are on the way.
- 53.5% White, 28.0% Hispanic, 9.3% African-American, 9.0% Asian/Pacific Islander, 0.2% Native American
- 24.1% economically disadvantaged
- 12.0% limited-English-Proficient
- More than 90% college bound
Academically outstanding students
- Forty National Merit Scholar Semifinalists and six National Achievement Scholarship semifinalists in 2006-07.
- Thirty-one students qualified as Scholar Finalists in the 2006-07 National Hispanic Recognition Program.
- Eleven Duke University Talent Identification Program Grand Recognition awards and 139 State Recognition awards.
- SAT and ACT achievement consistently outdistance Texas and National scores.
- Katy ISD students outscored their counterparts across the state at every grade level in every area tested on the 2007 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test.
Student Winners
- 2007 Debate State Champion
- 2007 Physics State Champion
- 2007 World Scholars Cup Winners
- 2007 4A boys Cross Country State Champions
- 2007 5A State Academic Champion High School
- Fifty-one Katy ISD students selected as All-State musicians and dancers in 2007
- 2006 and 2007 State Geography Bee State Geography Bee Champion
- 2006 5A girls Soccer State Champions
- 2006 Junior High Grand Champion in Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo School Art Contest
- 2005 Global Destination Imagination Champion Team
- 2004 State 5A Academic Champion Team
- 2004 Tommy Tune awards, honoring musical theatre excellence among high schools, included winning productions from three Katy campuses
- Four individual national winners in the 2003-04 National Scholastic Art Contest
- 2004 5A State Track & Field Champions
- Six individual 2004 state wresting championships and three in 2005
Professional
Katy ISD’s professional staff is clearly outstanding!
- 2007 Region IV Teacher of the Year
- 2007 Texas Elementary School Counselor of the Year
- 2006 Texas Foreign Language Association Teacher of the Year
- 2006 Texas Dance Educators Association Director of the Year
- 2004 Region IV Special Education General Educator of the Year
- 2004 Christa McAuliffe Award for Teaching Excellence
- 2004 Texas Foreign Language Association’s Teacher of the Year
- 2003 Region IV Outstanding Teacher of the Gifted
- 2003 Texas Computer Education Association Outstanding Teacher
- 2003 Boys Swimming Coach of the Year
- 2003 Texas High School Tennis Coach of the Year
- One in four teachers has a graduate degree
- Teachers average 10.8 years of experience and one in six has been in the classroom more than 20 years
- Every school is fully staffed with art, music and physical education teachers, counselors, registered nurses, librarians, and instructional technologists
- Elementary and secondary instructional specialists in every major curriculum area offer master-teacher expertise, in-service training and curriculum coordination to classroom teachers throughout the district
Katy ISD offers unparalleled professional development opportunities
- Outstanding in-district workshops enhanced by extensive offerings at the Region IV Education Service Center
- Summer teacher internships
- University of Houston master’s program
- Leadership Academy for aspiring and current administrators
Programs
- Academic Decathlon, Octathlon and Pentathlon
- Advanced Placement
- Destination ImagiNation
- Credit by Exam
- Dual enrollment for high school and college credit
- Challenge for the gifted and talented
- Duke University Talent Identification Program
- Comprehensive sports program
- Band, orchestra, choir, theatre arts and intramural sports in all secondary schools
- Dance in all high schools
- Career and Technology education
- Drug education in all schools
- Special education programs (birth-22 years)
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and bilingual instruction
- Help One Student To Succeed (HOSTS) mentor program – HOSTS Awards for Quality Assurance, 1997-2003
- Junior Achievement whole district partnership
- Keep Encouraging Youth toward Success (KEYS) mentor program
- TYKE early intervention (birth to 3 years)
- Annual FFA Livestock Show and Rodeo
- Outdoor Learning Center and Distance Learning capabilities
- Prime Time before and after school child care program
- Summer school academic, recreation and enrichment programs
- Adult community education
- After-school classes