The Vidor Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday to approve a shared-services agreement continuing the district’s participation in the Regional Day School for the Deaf.

The agreement, presented by Mrs. Silver, preserves cooperative services the district receives for about 16 students each year. "We serve about 16 students each year with the Regional Day School for the Deaf. About 6 of those students actually attend the school, the cooperative school in Beaumont, and we have 9 to 10, depending on our enrollment, that attend here," Silver said. She added the program supplies itinerant teachers, testing and other services.

The nut graf: Trustees were told the current agreement is largely unchanged but will be revisited next year because of state funding law changes. "So I anticipate that. There'll be some clarification of some of the language within. And right now, I think those are the biggest concerns. We're gonna move to a different funding model for special education," Silver said, referencing recently passed state legislation informally described in the meeting as "House Bill 2."

Board discussion included questions about how many districts participate in the cooperative; Silver estimated "about 15 to 20." There were no amendments. Trustee Mr. Camp moved to accept the agreement as presented; Ms. Long seconded. The motion passed on a 7-0 voice vote recorded by the board clerk.

Background: The Regional Day School for the Deaf is a cooperative arrangement among multiple districts that provides specialized services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Board members were told the next iteration of the agreement will reflect a state shift to an intensity-based funding model for special education and could change how districts receive those funds.

Trustees did not take additional action beyond approval; the board noted it will revisit the agreement next year when the updated language is available.