Independence Superintendent Jim Hinson knows that there will be less revenue next year.
But he also knows that he must present a balanced budget to the Independence Board of Education. He believes that he might have found a way to do that, while avoiding teacher layoffs.
“Is this an ideal situation – no,” he said at the Independence Board of Education meeting Tuesday. “Does it create a significant financial savings for us? Yes.”
Hinson said after declines in state sales tax revenue and assessed valuations and increases in areas such as utilities and the district’s contribution to the state’s teacher retirement system, the district will have an estimated $7 million less in revenue next year.
In an effort to fight this deficit, the Independence Board of Education approved an early retirement incentive for teachers eligible for retirement. This incentive will give teachers 50 percent of their contractual pay over a five-year period. In addition, teachers will get $100 for every unused sick day instead of $50. This can either be given in one lump sum or spread over five years.
“We believe this could save the district millions of dollars over time,” Hinson said. “We are providing an incentive for teachers to retire. An incentive that will help both them and us financially.”
Hinson said when the early retirement incentive was offered in 2003, 74 teachers took the deal. Teachers have until April 2 to accept the incentive.
In conjunction with the early retirement plan, the board of education also approved a change at the middle school level that will decrease teachers’ planning time from two sessions to one.
Hinson said it is his hope that those teachers whose positions are eliminated at the middle school level because of the change will be able to fill essential positions left open through the early retirement process.
If enough teachers accept the early retirement, teacher layoffs could be avoided.
“We can make this happen,” he said. “It worked very effectively in 2003. I think our odds now are better than 50/50 that we can avoid reducing the teaching staff.”
Board of education member Matt Mallinson said he is hopeful.
“I think this plan is very admirable,” he said.
