Katy ISD Credit by Exam — Parent Guide: 80% Accelerate, 4 Windows, First-Day Rule (2026-2027)
| Window | Apply by | Testing |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 16–20 |
| March 2027 | Feb 5, 2027 | Mar 1–5 |
| June 2027 | Apr 16, 2027 | Jun 7–10 |
| July 2027 | May 8, 2027 | Jul 12–15 |
Katy ISD (KISD) sits in west Houston and is one of Texas's largest and fastest-growing districts — serving Katy, Fulshear, and portions of west Houston. With eight comprehensive high schools plus specialized options (Miller Career and Technology Center, Raines Academy, and others), KISD serves a highly diverse acceleration-minded family base. This guide covers what KISD families actually need to know before requesting Credit by Examination for acceleration.
Two related guides worth reading before you register: our district-by-district CBE deadline guide explains why there's no single statewide date, and our school start date guide explains why your district's calendar may start earlier than you'd expect — both affect how early you need to register.
This is an independent guide. Texas CBE™ is not affiliated with KISD or any Texas school district. Confirm specifics with your campus counselor.
Katy ISD CBE testing calendar, 2026-2027
Katy ISD publishes its calendar, which most Texas districts do not. These are the district's own dates, from the KISD Credit by Examination page and its 2026-2027 calendar PDF, last checked on August 5, 2026. The calendar covers grades 1–12.
| Testing window | Location | Parent application deadline you do this | Campus ordering deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 16 – 20, 2026 | Home campus | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 |
| Mar 1 – 5, 2027 | Home campus | Feb 5, 2027 | Feb 10, 2027 |
| Jun 7 – 10, 2027 | TBD | Apr 16, 2027 | Apr 23, 2027 |
| Jul 12 – 15, 2027 | TBD | May 8, 2027 | May 12, 2027 |
Apply about five weeks before you test
Katy runs long lead times: 38 days between the parent application deadline and the November window, and 65 days for the July one. That is generous compared with Houston ISD, which gives parents a five-day request window and tests three weeks later — but it cuts the other way too. The paperwork is due long before the test feels close, and by the time a family starts thinking about a November exam in late October, the door has already shut.
There is no early-autumn window
The 2026-2027 calendar opens in November. A family hoping to place a student before the school year settles has no window to use — the first opportunity of the year is the one closing October 9, and the exam itself is in mid-November. Plan around that rather than around the start of school.
Katy ISD's CBE program at a glance
KISD's Research, Assessment, and Accountability office offers CBE at every grade level and subject area offered, in accordance with Texas State Board of Education rules. The two pass thresholds are the standard state-set values:
| Path | Prior instruction? | Passing bar |
|---|---|---|
| Acceleration (no prior instruction) | No | 80% or above |
| Credit recovery (prior instruction) | Yes | 70% or above |
KISD's key rules (unique-ish among Houston-area districts)
- Advance one grade level OR one course per subject per academic year. A student cannot double-jump within a subject in the same year.
- Four CBE testing windows per year, with NO exceptions to ordering deadlines. KISD is strict — miss the deadline, wait for the next window.
- For acceleration to count: results must be received by the first day of school. This is the rule that surprises most families. A summer CBE window that runs late (missed deadlines, scoring delays) can push the acceleration to the next school year, not the current one.
- K-8 acceleration is by grade level; 9-12 is by subject/course (high-school credit only).
- Applications through the campus counselor.
How KISD families typically use CBE
- Algebra 1 acceleration before 9th grade. Strong 7th- or 8th-grader tests out in the summer CBE window to enter their zoned HS (Katy HS, Seven Lakes, Tompkins, Cinco Ranch, Taylor, Morton Ranch, Mayde Creek, or Paetow) at Geometry.
- Foreign-language CBE for heritage speakers. KISD's diverse Indian-heritage, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish-speaking families use CBE to convert home languages into transcript credit.
- Geometry the summer between 9th and 10th. Second-stage acceleration for math-track students.
- Schedule clearing for HCC dual-credit. Earning social-studies via CBE clears room for Houston Community College dual-enrollment in 11th-12th grade.
Subjects most commonly pursued
- Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus — the acceleration pipeline.
- Spanish I/II, Vietnamese, Chinese — heritage-speaker CBE.
- U.S. History, World Geography, World History — social-studies acceleration.
Credit by Examination asks for 80% with no prior instruction. Full-length mock exams written to the same TEKS the exam is drawn from — Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology, Chemistry and more.
See the subjects →
Every subject has free practice questions with the full worked solution. Take some and see whether they look like the exam your district set.
See the subjects →
Every Credit by Examination window we have verified from a district's own calendar — 22 districts, 75 windows, each with the source it came from.
See the deadlines →
Not a guess at what might be on it. Full worked solutions and timed mock exams built to the same TEKS the Credit by Examination is written against.
Browse the subjects →The cost case — CBE prep vs tutoring
| Path | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Private subject tutor (6 weeks × 5 hr/wk) | ~$1,500–$4,500 | Personalized, expensive |
| Group prep program (Kumon-style) | ~$600–$1,200 | Slower pace, less CBE-format-specific |
| Texas CBE™ — 3-month access, one subject | $29.99 | Full-length timed mocks, TEKS-tagged, AI explanations |
KISD's 8 comprehensive high schools
- Katy HS — the district's original comprehensive HS.
- Seven Lakes HS
- Tompkins HS
- Cinco Ranch HS
- Taylor HS
- Morton Ranch HS
- Mayde Creek HS
- Paetow HS
Specialized options include the Miller Career and Technology Center and Raines Academy. Accelerated students who pass an 8th-grade Algebra 1 CBE enter their zoned KISD HS at Geometry.
What Texas CBE™ offers Katy ISD families
- TEKS-aligned practice questions with full-length timed mocks (modeled on the 80% acceleration bar).
- 5-language platform — English, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese.
- Free sample questions, no signup.
- Full-course access $29.99 per subject for 3 months.
Three things to verify with your KISD counselor
- The current testing window's ordering deadline. KISD applies no exceptions — a missed deadline pushes to the next window (up to a full semester later).
- Whether the results will arrive by the first day of school for a summer CBE targeting fall acceleration. If not, plan for the following year.
- Acceleration limit for the year. One grade level or one course per subject per year — verify which counts against the limit if your student has already tested.
The realistic timeline for fall 2026-2027 acceleration
- Late fall / early winter (previous year): Confirm the target subject with the counselor. Get the KISD testing calendar.
- Early spring: Take a free practice exam to confirm fit.
- Register EARLY in the spring or early summer window. KISD's ordering deadlines are strict — miss it, wait for the next window.
- Test at the counselor-arranged time.
- Confirm results-return timeline. Must arrive by first day of school for that year's acceleration to apply.
- Fall placement: If results arrived on time, student is placed in the accelerated course; otherwise, deferred to the next year.
Counselor email — copy and adapt
Subject: Credit by Exam request — [Your child's name], [grade] grade
Hi [Counselor's name],
I'm [your name], parent of [child's name] in [grade] at [school]. I'd like to request information about the Katy ISD Credit by Examination program for [subject — e.g., Algebra 1, Geometry].
Specifically:
- The next testing window's ordering deadline (understanding KISD applies no exceptions).
- The expected results-return timeline — I want to confirm results arrive by the first day of school for that year's acceleration.
- The 80% acceleration bar (no prior instruction) vs 70% credit recovery (with prior instruction) — which applies to my student's situation.
- How the "one grade level or one course per subject per academic year" rule applies if my student has already tested this year.
Could we set up a 15-minute meeting?
Thank you,
[Your name] · [phone] · [child's school ID]
How to start today — 4 steps
- Take a free practice exam (5 minutes). Pick a subject — no signup, instant feedback. 85%+ cold means likely ready.
- Upgrade to full-length timed mocks ($29.99 / 3 months / subject) if prep is needed.
- Email your KISD counselor using the script above — act early, KISD deadlines are strict.
- Register for the target window well before the ordering deadline. Plan for the results-by-first-day rule.
Related guides
- Cypress-Fairbanks ISD CBE — Parent Guide (neighboring Houston-area district)
- Fort Bend ISD CBE — Parent Guide
- Houston ISD CBE — Parent Guide
- CBE vs STAAR — parent decision guide
Sources
- Katy ISD — Credit by Examination (CBE) program page.
- Katy ISD — Credit by Exam FAQ Grades 1-12.
- Texas Education Code §28.023 — Credit by Examination.
- 19 TAC §74.24 — Credit by Examination.
This post is general guidance based on publicly available information. Katy ISD policies, testing windows, and ordering deadlines are set by the district and change — always verify current requirements with your campus counselor before registering.
