Board extends early retirement offer to three more teachers

The School District 6 Board in a 7-1 vote on Wednesday approved the extension of an early retirement incentive program originally offered during the 2015-2016 school year.

The program was offered to a maximum of 20 teachers at that time, and was awarded to 17 teachers who submitted a request to participate. The extension aims to maximize participation to the 20 teachers, pursuant to the original offering.

The board will now accept up to a maximum of three additional resignations, which will be awarded based on the total number of years of credible teaching service, number of years of credible teaching service under the Montana Teacher’s Retirement System, and years of service with the Columbia Falls school district, in that order.

The early retirement incentive program will be extended to certified teaching personnel who are contracted for the 2016-2017 school year who elect to retire at the end of the year.

Board member Larry Wilson voted against the measure.

“The biggest reason I’m against it is that it’s not every year for every teacher,” he said during a phone interview Thursday. “When it’s done periodically there’s a horrible brain drain.”

Wilson also argued the fairness of the program.

“It’s not really fair, the school district benefits from it, not the teachers,” he said.

Although it varies with each individual case, of the six teachers who retired last year under the early retirement incentive program, SD6 business manager Dustin Zuffaleto said that the average savings for the district was $7,500 per teacher.