Katy ISD employees will receive pay increases for fiscal year 2026-27 despite the district facing a $15.7 million projected shortfall.

The overview: At a June 22 meeting, Katy ISD board of trustees approved its FY 2026-27 compensation plan including a 1% general pay increase, as well as two separate 1% lump-sum payments to be given in August and December.

Chief Human Resources Officer Brian Schuss said Katy ISD is considered “market competitive” and with its compensation plan and the general pay increase, the district will retain its position.

Westlake Lutheran Academy will add a new building to keep up with the growth of students, Chief Advancement Officer Bret Walter confirmed.

The academy initially opened as an elementary school in 2008 and has since added middle school offerings, Walter said. The campus also welcomed its first ninth grade class in 2025 and will continue to add a grade each year.

What’s happening: As it prepares to accommodate students in pre-K through 12th grade, Walter said the new 17,000-square-foot building will primarily support high schoolers, but younger students will utilize it as well.

The building—which is expected to cost nearly $6 million—will have five main classrooms, a teacher conference room, administrative space and a multipurpose space.

On the horizon: Construction began in December 2025 and it is expected to be completed in the spring 2027, Walter said.

• 23300 Bellaire Blvd., Richmond

The May Housing Market Update from the Houston Association of Realtors reports pending single-family home sales in the Greater Houston area are at their highest point since May 2022.

However, there has been a slight decline in closings and total sales since last May, data shows.

By the numbers: Single-family home sales fell by 3.2%, with 8,631 homes sold in May compared to the 8,915 sold last May. Meanwhile, home prices grew 0.4%, bringing the median price to $340,000.

Texas education officials gave preliminary approval June 23 to the state’s first mandatory reading list, which includes nearly 200 literary works that public school students would begin reading as soon as 2030.

The overview: The proposed list incorporates about a dozen stories from the Bible, including the tale of David and Goliath in second grade and direct biblical excerpts beginning in fourth grade. In total, students would be required to read more than two dozen texts in early elementary grades and about 10 literary works per year from sixth grade through high school.

What's happening: Members of the Republican-led State Board of Education voted 9-5 to cut several titles from the reading list June 23, following nearly eight hours of public testimony a day earlier.

More than half of those who testified June 22 asked the board to shorten the list, include more diverse authors and remove religious references. Others praised the SBOE for creating a list that they said would teach students about “American exceptionalism” and prioritize classical literature.