Katy ISD’s 2026-2027 Budget and Tax Rate: What the Numbers Mean
How to read the district budget, tax rate, projected deficit, and the two major parts of a school tax bill.
Quick answer
Katy ISD adopted a total 2026 tax rate of $1.1171 per $100 of taxable value and a $1.17 billion General Operating Fund budget with a projected $25.7 million operating deficit at adoption. A flat tax rate does not guarantee an unchanged bill because taxable property value can change.
What changed or what the rule says
Katy ISD adopted a $1.17 billion General Operating Fund budget for 2026-2027 with a projected $25.7 million operating deficit and a total tax rate of $1.1171 per $100 of taxable value. The projected deficit is important and should be monitored, but it is not the same thing as a final year-end loss. District officials have noted that Katy ISD adopted deficit budgets in each of the prior three audited fiscal years and ultimately finished those years balanced while adding to fund balance. The total rate combines Maintenance and Operations, which supports daily district work, and Interest and Sinking, which pays voter-approved debt. Budget figures adopted before a fiscal year are plans and projections; audited results show what ultimately occurred.
Why this matters to Katy ISD
Recurring commitments affect teacher compensation, classroom support, services, and future flexibility. Families also need clear explanations of how rates and property values interact.
What I would watch as a trustee
I would ask how recurring spending affects classrooms and long-term sustainability, review assumptions openly, and distinguish projected figures from final audited results. The useful question is not simply whether a deficit was projected, but how projections compare with audited results over time, which assumptions drove the gap, and whether a projected deficit is shrinking, growing, or being closed through underspending.
What this does not mean
Holding the overall tax rate flat is not the same as holding every individual tax bill flat.