Katy ISD Board Calls for Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election, Specifies Pay Raises Should the TRE Pass

At the September Board Meeting, the Board of Trustees discussed and approved the specific use of additional funds generated by the Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election, should the referendum pass this November.

If the TRE is passes, the Board has committed to using the funds for:

1. A total of a 4% pay raise at the midpoint for all Katy ISD employees, with 3% of the raise distributed across all remaining pay checks for the 2022-23 school year (retroactive to Sept. 1), and an additional 1% permanent pay raise distributed in one sum this December. 
2. 10 additional police officers
3. Equalization of the Instructional Pay Grade I00

Katy ISD’s TRE is a school election designed to generate additional revenue through the existing school district tax rate to fund pay raises for teachers and staff. Katy ISD taxpayers are being asked to sustain the current school district tax rate of $1.35.

“The Board has been discussing these funding challenges, as well as reviewing options to increase teacher and staff pay, even as we contend with budgetary constraints,” said Greg Schulte, Katy ISD Board President.  “It’s a priority for our Board to ensure Katy ISD can sustain its current educator workforce and continue to recruit and retain top-tier employees,” added Schulte.

During the August meeting, Trustees were presented with the outcomes of an efficiency audit. Texas Education Code requires school districts to conduct an efficiency audit before seeking voter approval to adopt an M&O tax rate. Evidence and conclusions from the audit indicate that Katy ISD’s internal control systems are in compliance with laws and regulations. The findings also demonstrated Katy ISD’s history of effectively using resources to improve student achievement and achieving cost savings. 

Additional information about the Katy ISD TRE can be found on the Katy ISD Tax Rate Election website.