February 19, 2026 at 6:00 PM - SPECIAL Meeting

Following the Board’s recent approval of the shared services agreement for ESL services and the related Letter of Agreement with the Bloomingdale Education Association, a Board member raised questions about whether the District could pursue a partial shared services model—allowing Bloomingdale to hire one or more ESL teachers directly while contracting with the ISD for additional staffing.

After the meeting, I followed up with the Van Buren ISD Superintendent, Dave Manson, and the Director of Multilingual Services, Angie Gutierrez, to request that they reconsider their position on a partial shared services arrangement. The ISD has indicated that they believe a full shared services model is the most effective and sustainable approach and are not recommending a hybrid or partial model at this time. However, they have offered to meet with the Board to explain their rationale and answer questions directly.

This agenda item provides the Board with an opportunity to discuss the shared services model further with ISD leadership present. For reference, the board packet includes the previously shared FAQ, the approved shared services agreement, and the district’s strategic plan.