An approximately 2 percent enrollment growth, 396 staff members for three new schools and staff salary increases between 3 percent and 3.16 percent are driving a general fund increase for Katy ISD’s fiscal year 2017-18 budget.

Projected general fund expenditures are $662.9 million for FY 2017-18, compared to $650.3 million in expenditures for FY 2016-17. Projected general fund revenues grew by 3.8 percent year over year from $645.6 million in FY 2016-17 to $670.4 million in fiscal 2017-18, according to the district’s presentation to the board of trustees Monday.

“Enrollment growth, we will know a little bit better here in a month or six weeks—as we open schools—what our enrollment growth’s looking like,” Chief Financial Officer Chris Smith said.

Paetow High School, Stockdick Junior High School and Bryant Elementary School will open next month in the district.

Smith said rising taxable property values and school finance reform discussion in the state Legislature’s special session could affect the budget in ways yet to be determined. As local school districts’ property tax contributions to their budgets increase, state contributions typically decrease.

For FY 2017-18, KISD is projecting about $217 million in state funding versus $223.8 million of state funding in FY 2016-17. However, the district is also expecting a 47.3 percent, or $5.1 million, increase in federal revenue for FY 2017-18, according to the district's presentation.

Payroll is projected to account for roughly 89.9 percent of the FY 2017-18 budget. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m., and the budget is due to be approved Aug. 28, according to district documents.