Katy ISD Plans New Opportunity Awareness Center Near Legacy Stadium to Expand Student Support Services
Katy ISD is preparing to build a new Opportunity Awareness Center campus near Legacy Stadium, a project district leaders say reflects a broader effort to rethink how students in disciplinary alternative education programs are supported academically, behaviorally, and emotionally.
The new Opportunity Awareness Center, or OAC, will be located at 1745 Katy Fort Bend Road in Katy and is expected to begin construction in August 2026, with completion anticipated in June 2027. The nearly 20,000-square-foot facility will house 16 classrooms along with administrative support spaces for Katy ISD’s alternative learning program. The estimated cost of the project is $9.5 million.
For many Katy-area families, the project represents more than just a new building. District officials say the redesign is part of a larger conversation about how to help students successfully transition back to their home campuses after disciplinary placements while continuing to protect their academic progress.
What Is the Katy ISD Opportunity Awareness Center?
The Opportunity Awareness Center serves as Katy ISD’s disciplinary alternative education program, often referred to as a DAEP. Students ranging from kindergarten through 12th grade may attend the campus after violating the Texas Education Code or Katy ISD’s Student Code of Conduct.
According to Katy ISD, the campus mission is centered on providing “academic and behavioral intervention so that all students find success.” The district says the program focuses on helping students make positive behavioral and academic changes through structured support, counseling, and individualized intervention services.
District leaders emphasized during a February 2026 Katy ISD Board Work Study Meeting that the goal is not simply discipline, but long-term student success.
“We believe all students can make positive changes, both behaviorally and academically, given a comprehensive support structure which emphasizes perseverance, commitment, and compassion,” the district states in its OAC belief statements.
Designed to Feel Supportive, Not Institutional
During the February board presentation, project architects and district administrators shared details about the new campus design, which will sit near Rhodes Stadium and existing district facilities.
According to architects with VLK, one of the primary design goals was to create “a school environment that feels supportive, and not institutional.”
The building layout separates elementary and secondary students into distinct wings while maintaining controlled access points and visibility for staff supervision. The project will utilize a pre-engineered metal building structure, a decision officials said helps maintain construction efficiency and control project costs while still creating a welcoming educational environment.
Plans include:
- Separate drop-off areas for elementary and secondary students
- Dedicated security vestibules
- Flexible multipurpose classrooms
- Administrative supervision areas with clear corridor visibility
- Natural lighting throughout the building
- Outdoor access for elementary students
Architects also noted the building’s design intentionally complements nearby district facilities such as Legacy Stadium and the Shaw Center.
District Leaders Discuss Balancing Safety, Accountability, and Student Needs
Much of the board discussion focused on how the district plans to evolve its disciplinary alternative education model to better meet the needs of different student populations.
Superintendent Dr. Ken Gregorski explained that not every student assigned to the OAC arrives under the same circumstances.
“There are kids over there that I would put in a category of maybe dangerous,” Gregorski said during the meeting transcript. “Then there are kids over there that make a one-time mistake and have never been in trouble in our school system before.”
District officials said the updated approach aims to create more individualized educational pathways for students while maintaining accountability and required disciplinary placements.
Administrators also discussed the importance of minimizing academic disruption during temporary placements. Officials said the district is exploring ways students could maintain access to advanced coursework, accommodations, and instruction tied to their home campuses while assigned to the OAC.
“We want them to go back to their campus, home campus, and be successful,” one district administrator explained during the discussion. “And the way to do that is to not jeopardize their academics.”
New Facility Could Also Help Expand Other Katy ISD Programs
Another major factor behind the project involves Katy ISD’s growing educational and career programs elsewhere in the district.
Board members discussed how relocating the OAC into a smaller, purpose-built facility could free up space at the current site for expanded programs connected to Miller Career & Technology Center and other student support services.
Several trustees noted the district is experiencing increasing demand for specialized career and technical education opportunities, with some programs already facing waitlists.
The conversation reflects broader trends happening across fast-growing districts like Katy ISD, where leaders are balancing enrollment growth, evolving student needs, workforce readiness programs, and budget pressures at the same time.
Why This Matters for Katy Families
For Katy-area residents, the project highlights how public school districts are increasingly being asked to address not only academics, but also student mental health, behavioral intervention, career readiness, and individualized support systems.
The new Opportunity Awareness Center also represents Katy ISD’s continued investment in facilities designed specifically around student needs rather than adapting older buildings for new purposes.
District officials stressed that the new facility is intended to provide structure, safety, and support while helping students remain connected to their educational goals during difficult periods.
Construction on the new Opportunity Awareness Center is expected to begin in summer 2026 following anticipated board approvals later this year.
Residents can continue following Katy ISD facility updates, education news, and community development coverage through My Neighborhood News.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
