Alton Frailey
Superintendent, Katy Independent School District

A Portrait of Katy Superintendent Alton Frailey

Prior to becoming the Katy ISD superintendent, Mr. Frailey served as the superintendent of DeSoto ISD in DeSoto, Texas, a suburb of the greater Dallas area.  While at DeSoto, Mr. Frailey utilized community forums to solicit parent and community input on district issues.  With the effective use of this involvement from the community Mr. Frailey was able to implement an Academic Excellence by Design improvement plan, develop a Portrait of the DeSoto Graduate and implement a PK-12 uniform dress policy.  He also led a successful $116 million bond election for facility improvements.

On a short stint up north, serving as the superintendent of Cincinnati, Ohio public schools, Mr. Frailey led the design and implementation of the Building Excellence model, resulting in dramatic improvements in student achievement and an increased rating for the district in the state accountability system.  Mr. Frailey partnered with the Mayor of Cincinnati in the formulation of an independent budget task force to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the districts finances and make recommendations to help avert a financial crisis. Demonstrating his heart for students, he led the creation of a Student Activities Foundation to support all student co-curricular activities and secured a public/private partnership to build a K-12 performing arts school.  Through his leadership at Cincinnati public schools, the district was able to complete funding for their master facilities plan by leading a successful $480 million bond election.  Mr. Frailey also hosted a weekly radio call-in show, established a district-wide Parent Council and implemented an alternative to expulsion plan.

Closer to home in Spring Branch ISD, Mr. Frailey provided leadership and oversight resulting in the districts first exemplary rated high school.  He oversaw the development and opening of a district-operated charter school Westchester Academy for International Studies.  Mr. Frailey coordinated the rewriting of the district technology plan to enable the receipt of approximately $2 million in federal e-rate funding.

Current Professional and Civic Involvement:

• Texas Association of School Administrators Executive Committee
• University Interscholastic League State Executive Committee
• American Association of School Administrators
• Texas Association of Suburban and Mid-Urban Schools Board of Directors
• Vice President, Urban Superintendents Association of America
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
• Fellow, Virginia Urban Schools Association, College of William and Mary
• Phi Delta Kappa
• Rotary International

Awards and Honors include:

• Member of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD School Board recognized as 2002 Texas School Board of the Year
• First recipient of the Cincinnati Center for Children and Families Most Valuable Partner Award, 2004
• Irvin Westheimer Medallion award, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 2003
• Life Membership, Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers, 1998