BEAUMONT, Texas — Representatives from Beaumont ISD and Hardin-Jefferson ISD spent Monday morning at Jefferson County Commissioners Court discussing Bevil Oak's departure from B.I.S.D.
The districts are looking to come to an agreement about how much Hardin-Jefferson owes Beaumont ISD after Bevil Oaks left BISD and joined HJISD last year.
The question those involved are trying to answer: How much money does HJISD owe BISD for allowing Bevil Oaks to leave the district?
Prior to the move, BISD passed a school bond that residents of Bevil Oaks voted on.
Now the districts are trying to figure out how much of it will they get back since Bevil Oaks is no longer apart of Beaumont ISD.
Monday afternoon, 12News learned that both districts have come to a tentative agreement. The terms and wording of the agreement will be released on a later date.
"We would like to be completely away from BISD, not still owing them tax dollars or anything like that," says Bevil Oaks City Manager Kimberely Vandver.
Since the districts were initially unable to come to an agreement, they had to appeal to a higher authority. Lawyers from both districts made a case with Jefferson County.
Vandver says that Bevil Oaks has been trying to leave BISD for over 20 years. After multiple appearances in court, they successfully left the district and became apart of HJISD as of fall 2018.
"This was a huge victory for Bevil Oaks to get into Hardin-Jefferson and the second the judge said 'yeah you're in Hardin-Jefferson' they went and had signs made," Vandver said. "They were posted everywhere."