[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6058878,"mediaKeyId","3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29","parentId",3296593,"title","Katy ISD reports roughly 9% of students in GT services; AP and dual-credit enrollment growing","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3969270,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29&start=3969&end=3969","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29/thumbnail_3969270.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6058878/Texas/Katy-ISD-reports-roughly-9-of-students-in-GT-services-AP-and-dual-credit-enrollment-growing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058878-fc977b7f53ff76f5ed4a0d98b2ff54ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1770886853&Signature=Ke8M5R1ZPbx-cnaFRWbCVdFdUrIOV8CHU~Atiux8OmTlfM512zfvMzwZqv~NchpOOPfiIBvo43jI4YySz74aUVuxGXDUIYdevrm-VL3dwNC-hfb6K3GV5mHwgWfNxRUK8jzcrjBBZPEpBvs2lBfJ8vAc7mwuoqBPDU-qqMqazk9V0V7fFNlmBwcHd5tdYEjCWFC085ODO5TT-0iFiRoZhHUY9rFg5NrE~2fU1b3ehBTgym2i3jAbSfGcE1KPsSrapFj4Ko1yEXirKYc-uPy~SUYgRJFYKueKZEvTaBQIIhTH4ZxBfr8x9Dk-x68PnYhrk4wfpsPZA8GXcGPqQB9v2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","KATY ISD","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","Danielle Sanchez, director of Gifted and Talented and Advanced Academics, presented an overview of Katy ISD’s GT services, AP program and dual-credit partnerships at the April 22 board meeting.

Sanchez said Katy ISD currently serves 8,882 students through GT programming, representing roughly 9% of district enrollment. GT screening and identification follow the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students, Sanchez said; elementary students with five or more positive measures and secondary students with three or more positive measures are identified for GT services.

Elementary GT students participate in a full-day “Challenge” pull-out model with a five-year curriculum cycle and a culminating GT Expo. At the secondary level, GT students are clustered in CAP or APGT courses taught by teachers who have the state-required GT training (an initial 30 hours and a 6-hour annual update). Each secondary campus has a GT facilitator responsible for compliance and advocacy; facilitators monitor grades for GT students, coordinate interventions and host workshops such as time-management sessions.

Sanchez reported that more than 12,000 high-school students are enrolled in at least one AP course for the 2024–25 school year and that AP exam participation is sizable (the presentation cited 21,000 AP exams taken in the 2023–24 cycle). Katy ISD had 178 AP Capstone diploma recipients in the class of 2024. The district also partners with Houston Community College (HCC) for dual-credit courses; Katy ISD offers 45 dual-credit courses beginning in ninth grade and, in 2023–24, students completed more than 16,000 college credit hours through dual-credit coursework.

Sanchez said Katy ISD has strategically used ESSER funding to upskill teachers to serve as embedded dual-credit instructors; embedded faculty have at least 18 hours of graduate work and are employed by both HCC and Katy ISD. Currently more than 2,000 students are enrolled in at least one dual-credit course. She said dual-credit pathways also support career and technical education programs that allow students to earn career credentials or an associate degree while in high school.

Trustees asked clarifying questions. Trustee Miss Champagne asked whether students can test for GT beyond fifth grade; Sanchez said the state allows testing through 11th grade. Trustees also asked about numbers of HCC professors versus embedded Katy ISD instructors for dual credit; Sanchez said most dual-credit sections are taught by embedded Katy ISD faculty and that the district has encouraged teachers to pursue the necessary graduate credentials, though ESSER funding that previously supported that upskilling is no longer available.

Sanchez concluded by noting GT participation across demographics (14% of GT students are emerging bilingual, 3% receive special education services, 4% served through Section 504 and 14% are economically disadvantaged) and said she welcomed trustee questions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","KATY ISD Board Meetings\tApr 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Director Danielle Sanchez told the board that Katy ISD serves about 8,882 students through gifted-and-talented programming (roughly 9%), highlighted AP and dual-credit growth and described GT facilitator roles and program models.","taxTitle","KATY ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",14169,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6058882,"Katy ISD trustees discuss teacher planning-time ideas; staff to follow up over summer",1948,4063430,6012230,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29&start=4063&end=6012","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29/thumbnail_4063430.jpg","/articles/6058882/Texas/Katy-ISD-trustees-discuss-teacher-planning-time-ideas-staff-to-follow-up-over-summer","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058882-5dec45a3422f1ea58cd39b098c1cfb31/orig.mp4?Expires=1770886853&Signature=k-iOgD~Xdd7pn2vxeLh8RIWLWJvhyiE01w1p7Y0hKUebwzrQldbvet2NJViBMEO-4v2MhYaexj9NcufBmn4m9ZPzA5C9Vcol-OQhFjA-Wlat53thd8GLXl~KEgbP-LGcagNqDvo75whIC0ksch2XTLx3L9jy-pL3leB0t1ROKK48q9oDVEfRsOdkLY6NcmtOtpnGPfimqIkZTYm~1SNjie3RibvG8CYyo42CMElc6esPVRXp-76sIiq8YErL4l1TQbsdYVw5riejtrGHjfZQpdE0X-Q88Ad353Jyhtxv8elfJTW6fGhuNjy8s1Dyzd2eZw8W0R-bSpLXHI4rl-zPcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board members and district staff described a recent focused meeting on teacher planning time and agreed to collect ideas districtwide and follow up over the summer.

Trustee Ms. Gazzella reported on an April 8 meeting that included two teachers, two principals, assistant superintendents and district administrators to share practical approaches campuses are using to protect teacher planning time. \"The ideas that could be shared across the district were captured,\" she said, listing proposals such as increasing planning time from 45 to 50 minutes where possible, assigning at least one protected planning day per week, adjusting PLC (professional learning community) models so administrators can \"pop into\" classrooms rather than attend every meeting, and quarterly check-ins on planning-time protection.

Superintendent Dr. Grigorski told trustees principals have autonomy to implement many of the suggested practices and encouraged a district-wide “share board” where principals can post best practices by level (elementary, junior high, high school). He said several principals already use variations of the ideas discussed and that a summer follow-up could assemble broader recommendations.

General Counsel Justin Graham briefed the board on legal considerations. He said he is “very confident that we are compliant with the law” while noting that the legal framework governing planning time is straightforward and has been provided to trustees and administrators.

Trustees debated process and stakeholder inclusion. Trustee Rebecca Fox and others asked whether the group selection represented the full range of teacher voices; trustees who attended said they invited teachers who had previously spoken publicly and that the meeting aimed for diversity of campus size and geography. Trustee Don Champagne said the goal was to put more options into principals’ toolboxes rather than issue a single, district-wide mandate.

Trustees and administration agreed to: collect additional teacher input over the summer, curate and share effective campus practices, and report back with specific recommended steps before the next school year. The board noted that some solutions will not be feasible at every campus because of scheduling, special-education requirements and other constraints.","Trustees and staff described a recent focused meeting that gathered principals and teachers to share ideas for protecting teacher planning time; suggestions will be collected and staff will report back ahead of next school year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6058887,"Parents and students urge Katy ISD to revise self-defense and mutual-combat rules after alleged assault",626,1219380,1846080,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29&start=1219&end=1846","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29/thumbnail_1219380.jpg","/articles/6058887/Texas/Parents-and-students-urge-Katy-ISD-to-revise-self-defense-and-mutual-combat-rules-after-alleged-assault","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058887-de033110a9e2babbfa8a34253a5b7583/orig.mp4?Expires=1770886853&Signature=cr7wiZaUUCi3ld34uXKjMc-s5voV0rSNX2~ZGSSuAVOBKOEOZ~VecGyCWB8WXCQBg15w4GuFxNtn8qyCawNZSA5~kmg8Tdim2HPPILXtXGY9dmpfO~J228841TcEpB8RUy6SmP7iGjGXZtBuGNZRTpfjar0hrJQHKs-DZ~ZFfdYybmpT71xsdXjw91Wd0tcQ~uu6Hy1lUihREzMB8C1O-Ej9B4W70TQhYBIcIdX~k3zCXx41aNDdcKzz~kp9YfhPmodsiB1joqicqIRa6jPZFk1pogspligqRA9UCXOd38BGdB0tR59xqoKoTZkg1HPXmh8GoDt~29noqddM75EaDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several parents, a student and community members raised repeated concerns about the district’s handling of a recent assault and called for clearer self-defense rules during the public-comment period at the Katy Independent School District board meeting on April 22.

Amanda Valdivia, a parent who identified herself as a “single mom,” said many parents in the Katy ISD area do not understand the district’s approach to self-defense and mutual combat. \"Katy ISD needs to make their policy on self defense and their procedures for handling harassment, bullying, and threats extremely clear during the enrollment process,\" Valdivia said, adding that she polled parents on local social media and found the majority support students physically defending themselves.

Rebecca Trahan, who described herself as following up on earlier comments, told the board “no child should ever be punished for defending themselves,” and urged revision of the district’s mutual-combat language so it can address sexual harassment and better protect both students and teachers. \"Teachers need to be rewarded from that and we need to support them more with this,\" she said, calling for a rules-of-engagement section in the discipline handbook.

Speakers identified a specific incident at Taylor High School and said the district labeled the episode “mutual combat” even though, they contend, video shows one student was assaulted and did not have a meaningful opportunity to defend herself. Danny Jim Francisco said he had filed a public information request and received heavily redacted materials; he asked the board to reopen the investigation and allow parents access to evidence that led to the mutual-combat determination. \"The staff at these schools make decisions under the blanket of confidentiality, and parents have no recourse,\" Francisco said.

Student Brooklyn Jan Francesco described receiving hostile looks after her family sought accountability and said she did not feel safe returning to school. \"Are we saying that it's okay for a male athlete or any male to assault a female student, and that the school punishes both parties equal?\" she asked.

Todd Gerkoff and other speakers made similar appeals for transparency and for the district to reverse punishments they said were wrongly applied. Kelly Hamilton, a teacher and member of the Texas AFT, thanked the board for forming a committee to review teacher planning time but also said teachers want clear, enforceable procedures that protect staff who intervene.

President Perez repeatedly reminded speakers to avoid identifying students or giving personally identifiable information, citing Texas law and district grievance procedures. The board did not take an immediate motion to change discipline policy during the meeting. Trustees later reconvened from closed session and, separately, denied a Level 3 FNG grievance; board staff indicated the grievance decision followed the district’s process under policy FNG.

Speakers asked the board to consider the following steps: amend mutual-combat language, establish an explicit self-defense policy, create mediation or restorative processes that allow parents to be included when appropriate, and reopen investigations where parents present new evidence.

The board did not adopt policy changes on April 22; trustees directed staff to follow established complaint and grievance channels. Several speakers said they would continue to pursue the matter through administrative and legal avenues.","Multiple parents, a student and community members used public comment at the April 22 Katy ISD board meeting to press the district to clarify self-defense policy, reopen an investigation tied to an assault at Taylor High School, and broaden transparency for evidence and disciplinary outcomes.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6058892,"Katy ISD trustees approve superintendent evaluation, multiple personnel actions; deny Level 3 grievance",6500,32170,6532530,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29&start=32&end=6532","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3296593-4711810edcdc03fe52483f095e131f29/thumbnail_32170.jpg","/articles/6058892/Texas/Katy-ISD-trustees-approve-superintendent-evaluation-multiple-personnel-actions-deny-Level-3-grievance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058892-4244b7a96a986dd04beffdff589ed033/orig.mp4?Expires=1770886853&Signature=VvknkXNmWoZHyCYjow8NKrHGB~yHOSoIzUzCqwRyXpK4hMvoMuBEJVY9OtLQPD-hblQuD4iwZTJ8CtMmm5bE0V~jZq9GYGkmPHJMMiHGYCJhyzZgnrGvxOa-EHLTvEZjryb1ncbLW~9HkaLs6uthz6cQ4~D2iqoXjTyzmGXV5ZaQnEViJKyT8~xfsOcEJD-d4FbmEU96e1V5nWtJzuFGpWNGFaqdlDarMOK4HvaaLpIPEe4wLhYqzYVeP9EHHMSkXYtJuhsJc6~gmM6MP4eI4axvhJS6bBHl2XaKi-PNIDLGgbymVVSV7aB02xTE8yheYaCQ51ifiLIsQ9P3TGPRvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Trustees of the Katy Independent School District on April 22 approved the superintendent's annual evaluation and a slate of personnel actions, carried a consent agenda of routine items and denied a Level 3 grievance in open session following a closed briefing.

The board voted 7-0 to approve the superintendent's annual evaluation and related contract language. Trustees next approved contract recommendations for multiple categories of employees for the 2025–26 school year (probationary, term and dual-assignment contracts) by a 7-0 vote. The board also voted 7-0 to give notice of proposed nonrenewal of one employee term contract (Robert Miles) and separately approved the termination of two probationary employee contracts (Ilsa Gonzales and Frank Eiddis) at the end of the 2024–25 contract period, each by 7-0 votes.

The consent agenda (items 10.1–10.16) passed 7-0 on a single vote, as presented. Later in the meeting trustees reconvened after a closed session to consider a Level 3 FNG grievance (FNG 24-78). The board moved to deny the Level 3 grievance, thereby upholding the decisions of the Level 1 and Level 2 hearing officers; that motion carried 6 ayes with 1 abstention. Boardmember Miss Redmond announced an abstention for that vote.

No additional motions or amendments to the listed personnel items were recorded on the public audio. Where recorded, vote tallies matched the results announced from the dais.

The board took no new public-action motions on the discipline-policy concerns raised by public commenters during the meeting; those comments were heard as part of the public comment period and were not acted on as motions during the meeting.

Votes recorded in open session were documented on the board's keypad roll calls and announced aloud by the presiding officer at the time of each vote. The meeting adjourned after the grievance vote.","At its April 22 meeting the Katy ISD Board of Trustees approved the superintendent's annual evaluation and several contract and personnel actions, approved a consent agenda and denied a Level 3 FNG grievance; most votes were unanimous.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Katy ISD reports roughly 9% of students in GT services; AP and dual-credit enrollment growing

Katy ISD trustees discuss teacher planning-time ideas; staff to follow up over summer

Parents and students urge Katy ISD to revise self-defense and mutual-combat rules after alleged assault

Katy ISD trustees approve superintendent evaluation, multiple personnel actions; deny Level 3 grievance