Sheldon ISD trustees approved multiple consent‑agenda items on Jan. 24, including a renewed services contract with First Choice Education Solutions and agreements for student programs, while district staff described temporary expanded reliance on contractors for special‑education services.

On the consent agenda, the board approved a First Choice services agreement for the 2024–25 school year with a cost not to exceed $60,000 and authorized district representatives to approve payments and expenditures related to the contract. The motion carried and was described in the meeting as approved unanimously. Trustees also approved an out‑of‑state overnight travel request for C.E. King High School journalism and an agreement with the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) for after‑school educational programs for 2024–25; both items were approved on the same consent motion.

Earlier in the meeting, district special‑education staff described a staffing gap and asked the board to permit increased contracted services to cover immediate student needs while the district continues to recruit. Staff said the district currently contracts with First Choice to supply two part‑time LSSPs (licensed specialists in school psychology) and one SLP (speech‑language pathologist), and that an open position had prompted a recommendation to increase contractor hours so services could continue through the remainder of the school year.

“...what we'd like to do is seek request to increase their contract,” a staff member said, describing a plan to use contractor services immediately while attempting to hire for permanent positions in the next school year. Staff said the expanded contract would also provide bilingual testing and speech services the district currently needs. Trustees asked clarifying questions about the year‑to‑year nature of contractor use, retention strategies for contractors and coordination with local higher‑education programs to build pipelines for future hires.

The board also received routine financial and operational reports in the information packet, including tax‑collection and investment reports for November and December 2024, enrollment and discipline data, and a list of recent purchases and grants. Staff noted that the district now operates small white minibus vehicles in‑house and that transporting students covered by the McKinney‑Vento Act remains a continuing operational responsibility.