Olathe school board president Stacey Yurkovich said Thursday the district will not cut retirement benefits for staff this year, but the issue may eventually return as Olathe continues to face budget struggles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile these programs go beyond what most school districts offer as retirement benefits, they also represent a significant financial commitment because they are fully funded by this school district,\u201d Yurkovich said. \u201cWe want to be clear that future changes to retirement benefits may still need to be considered.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said special education funding, declining enrollment and the upcoming new state education funding formula will be major factors in those decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese decisions will help determine what we can maintain as a district,\u201d she said. \u201cWe will face many difficult decisions over the coming year amid these challenges \u2026 We value the dedication of our staff, and remain committed to supporting our community through the decisions ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
The school board was facing a June 30 deadline to decide on the issue. Cuts would have required one year’s notice before taking effect.<\/p>\n
Yurkovich\u2019s statement was made in response to comments by Karen Bishop, a librarian at Mission Trail Middle who has spoken at the last three board meetings asking not to cut benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The benefits on the table are fully funded by the district, which the district said means cuts would be straight savings \u2014 they are the \u201cVoluntary Early Retirement Plan\u201d and the \u201cHealth Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) account,\u201d which converts sick leave upon retirement into a healthcare account.<\/p>\n