​2016-2017 ​​Approved Attendance Boundary Modification (ABM)

On Monday, December 14, during their regular monthly meeting, the Katy ISD Board of Trustees approved the attendance boundary modifications (ABMs) designed for the opening of three new campuses and to alleviate overcrowding at campuses landlocked with 125 percent capacity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Attendance Boundary Modification (ABM)?
Attendance Boundary Modifications (ABMs) help us to manage growth in Katy ISD. As the District grows, we have to adjust boundaries when new schools are opened. This helps us to balance the number of students at each school.

Why is an ABM necessary for 2016-17?
An ABM is necessary for SY 2016-2017 due to growing enrollment and the opening of two elementary schools and one junior high school.
 
Current Attendance Zones for the areas impacted by 2016-2017 ABM:

Approved Attendance Zones for the areas impacted by 2016-2017 ABM:

What are the current capacities and enrollment projections for schools impacted by the elementary #38, #39 and junior high #14 ABMs?

I see my school in one of the maps above. Does that mean that the attendance boundaries will be changed for my school?
Yes. The maps show elementary and junior high schools that are going to be impacted, as well as schools that exceed 125% of capacity with no planned relief.  Currently, Fielder Elementary, Rylander Elementary, West Memorial Elementary, and Beckendorff Junior High are landlocked and at 125% of capacity. The Board of Trustees reviewed proposed ABMs at the November 16 Board Work Study meeting and approved a final ABM recommendation at the December 14 Board meeting.

What was approved for the landlocked schools at 125% capacity?

• Fielder Elementary- No ABM. Elementary school #38 will resolve capacity issue.

• West Memorial Elementary- ABM with neighboring schools.

• Rylander Elementary- ABM with neighboring school.

• Beckendorff Junior High- No ABM. If necessary, may consider as part of a district-wide realignment at build out.

Landlocked schools over 125% capacity

Many community members spoke during the open forum at the Board of Trustees meeting on November 23 to share their concerns and provide feedback on the proposed boundary modifications that would impact Rylander and Nottingham Country elementary schools. Did the District review the input presented?

Yes, District administration and the Board of Trustees took parent and community members feedback into consideration as a new ABM option was designed to provide relief to WME, as well as address the majority of concerns cited by parents. As you will see in the approved ABM Option 2 map, LUZ 44 has been split between WME and NCE, while Cimarron has absorbed the southern portion of LUZ 42B to provide additional relief to WME. It is also anticipated that no special education student programs will be moved from NCE. 

Will programs at schools be impacted by the proposed attendance boundary modifications?
Programs are always subject to adjustment by the Administration as needed. However, at this point, it is still too early to guarantee what, if any, changes will be required.

How did the District determine which school boundaries will be modified as part of the 2016-17 ABM?
The ABM recommendations were crafted collaboratively with District Administration and Population and Survey Analysts (PASA) and included a robust feedback loop through parent and community surveys and direct dialogue. 

It is an option that allows students living in the attendance zone for a new high school to stay at their current high school until they graduate.

Who is eligible to for Grandfathering?
Only high school students are eligible for grandfathering. This option is not available to elementary or junior high students.

When will an ABM recommendation be provided to the Board of Trustees?
Preliminary proposals were taken to the Board on Monday, November 16 and a final ABM recommendation was approved by the Board on December 14.

When will parents and students be notified about changes to their school or feeder pattern for 2016 - 2017?
Katy ISD will notify impacted families in January/February 2016.

Will the District consider District-wide attendance boundary modifications?
Due to ongoing projected enrollment growth, residential development (single and multi-family) and requisite new school facility construction projected over the next several years, District-wide attendance boundary modifications will be considered now and over the next couple of years. Specific attendance boundary modifications will occur with both the construction of each new school facility, as well as in targeted situations to optimize enrollment capacity and balance enrollment between schools.

Is this Attendance Boundary Modification simply a short-term solution to a long-term problem?
Attendance Boundary Modification is an integral part of the growth management process that the District utilizes. As the District continues to grow, Attendance Boundary Modifications will be necessary as new schools are opened and when the need arises to balance enrollment between existing schools.

How accurate are your demographic projections?
Katy ISD has been utilizing the demographic services of Population and Survey Analysts (PASA) for more than 10 years, and their projections are almost 99 percent accurate.​

Are apartments factored into the demographic projections?
Yes, apartments are factored into the demographic projections. Currently, multi-family housing makes up approximately 20 percent of the housing units in Katy, with only 7.8 percent of Katy ISD students residing in an apartment.

Many of the newer campuses have portables, why is that?
We use portables as a growth planning tool. Portables are a cost-efficient way to help us manage growth. We do not build new schools until we have enough students to populate a whole campus.

Updated  December 15, 2015

New Schools Opening Fall 2016

Two new elementary schools and one junior high school are scheduled to open in 2016.

 Elementary 38

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Elementary 39

Junior High 14

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