School boundaries, budget amendments, policy changes and other topics were discussed at Monday's Katy ISD board of trustees work study meeting. See what was considered in preparation for the board's regular meeting June 26.

1. Preliminary attendance boundaries for Elementary School No. 41 released

Trustees received a presentation on preliminary school attendance boundaries for the future Elementary School No. 41, which is under construction in the Cross Creek Ranch subdivision. The school is scheduled to open for the 2018-19 academic year and will relieve James E. Randolph and MayDell Jenks elementary schools, according to the district.

Community feedback will be gathered between July and November and the board is expected to vote on a final recommendation for the boundaries in December, said KISD Chief Operations Officer Lee Crews and Kris Pool, chief data analyst with demographic firm Population and Survey Analysts. Some bilingual program students from Jenks Elementary would be moved to the new school to relieve overcrowding, Crews said.

“The bilingual program is actually outgrowing the added capacity that we put onto Jenks [Elementary],” he said.

2. Change in drug search policy considered

District staff recommended amending KISD’s policy to eliminate random drug tests for high school students as a requirement for participating in competitive after-school activities or for getting a campus parking permit. Staff said the tests are more expensive, more time-consuming for administrators and students, and less effective than using a drug dog to search an entire school.

Superintendent Lance Hindt said he agreed with the recommendation and thought the $100,000 budgeted for random testing would be better reallocated for preventive programs at a lower grade level.

3. Budget amendments

Trustees considered a $291,000 increase in the KISD general operating fund and a $2.4 million tax increment reinvestment zone fund increase to purchase the Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union’s Katy branch building. Construction fund amendments worth $6.19 million were also considered for work done at Paetow High School, Stockdick Junior School and Mayde Creek High School.

4. Staff compensation plan

Staff recommended a compensation plan for the 2017-18 academic year that raised teachers’ salaries by roughly 3 percent, or $1,500 from the 2016-17 academic year. The recommended plan includes starting annual teacher salaries of $52,000 for those with a bachelor’s degree, $53,000 for those with a master’s degree and $54,000 for those with a doctorate.

Additional reporting by Rob Miller