Katy Independent School District staff told the Board on Monday that 49 elementary class sections (preK–4) currently exceed the Texas statutory 22:1 student‑to‑teacher ratio after the district's enrollment balancing process.

Bridal Shuss, chief human resources officer, said the 49 sections represent 49 of the district's roughly 1,620 elementary class sections; 37 of the 49 are over the limit by a single student. "That's important information," Shuss said, noting principals sometimes decline additional staffing to preserve established classroom dynamics.

Nut graf: State law limits class size in grades K–4 to 22 students per teacher in Texas; districts may submit waiver applications to the commissioner of education for individual sections that exceed the limit. The board reviews and authorizes the superintendent to prepare and file waiver applications each year; after initial authorization staff may submit additional waivers later in the school year if enrollment changes require them.

Shuss described the district's enrollment balancing process — a collaborative review of grade‑level staffing by assistant superintendents and principals — and said the waiver request is a routine annual item. Trustees asked whether waivers could be submitted midyear if a class grows further; Shuss confirmed the board's action authorizes the superintendent to submit additional waivers during the year as necessary.

Ending: The board discussed the tradeoffs between opening new sections (which requires additional teachers and classrooms) and preserving stable classroom assignments; staff said they will continue to monitor enrollment and will file waivers or request additional staffing when justified.