The Socorro Independent School District Board of Trustees voted Nov. 5 to approve administration's recommended employee health plan design for the 2026 plan year after voters rejected Prop A (referred to in the meeting as VADER). Administration presented two options: Option A (contingent on Prop A funding) and Option B (the alternative if Prop A failed). The board approved Option B.

Under the approved changes the district will move from three plans to two, raise the consumer‑driven health plan (CDHP) deductible to $4,500, increase the employer contribution to employee HSAs from $800 to $1,200 (to be paid in two installments of $600 in January and $600 in September), and eliminate GLP‑1 medications from coverage when prescribed for weight‑loss purposes (coverage will continue for type 2 diabetes). Staff said those plan design changes produced $13.1 million in cost avoidance and that an additional $2.1 million of savings was modeled when other incentives were included; a previously proposed $5 million infusion was no longer available after the Prop A defeat.

Chief Human Resources Officer Selena Styles presented the options and explained open enrollment is scheduled to run Nov. 10–Dec. 6, with vendor support from First Financial by phone and two in‑person Saturday assistance dates (Nov. 15 and Nov. 25). David Solis, the district chief financial officer, told trustees that given the district's fragile finances the administration viewed Option B as the responsible path.

Employee speakers urged trustees to consider the human impact. Rosie Perez, speaking for district employees, said the loss of Prop A funding would mean "fewer funds mean larger class sizes and fewer classroom resources" and urged compassion in benefit decisions. A second public commenter, Tommy Hill, asked the board to allow flexibility on open enrollment deadlines and suggested additional time for employees affected by system constraints.

Trustee Macias moved to approve the administration's recommendation for a fully funded plan (Option B); Trustee Woodcraft seconded. The board voted to approve the recommendation. Trustees and administration discussed outreach to employees, targeted assistance for high‑need workgroups (transportation and other shift workers), and weekly enrollment monitoring during November.

The board recorded that premiums for some plans will rise and acknowledged the option will create retention and morale risk among employees. Administration committed to broad communication, targeted on‑site assistance and reporting enrollment movement to the board during the open‑enrollment window.

Open enrollment dates, new HSA contribution amounts and the CDHP deductible were listed during the presentation; the board asked staff to contact employees who did not participate in the early days of enrollment and to deploy enrollment teams to larger worksites.