The board approved an amendment to the regional cooperative agreement with Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) and two separate memoranda of understanding for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services with Positive ABA and Total Care ABA.

Superintendent Samaniego said the ASDB agreement covers services for students with hearing or visual impairments and described the reimbursement structure presented in the agreement: eligibility-based vouchering for enrolled students, including approximately $42 per day for students with hearing or visual impairment and $50 per day for students with multiple disabilities, not to exceed $9,000 for eligible students as presented to the board.

On ABA services, the superintendent said the district contracts with external providers when local staff lack the specialized licensure or capacity to deliver applied-behavior-analysis therapy to certain students. Board members asked how students are recommended for these services and were told recommendations come through ESS (special education) evaluations and individualized education program (IEP) processes; administration said it would provide further detail on referral procedures.

The agreements were presented as routine and approved by unanimous roll call. Board members said contracting for these services is important for a small, rural district with limited local provider capacity.