County system lays out buy out plan for teachers on The Murfreesboro Post

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County system lays out buy out plan for teachers

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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer

Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009 10:57 am

Rutherford County Schools approved a voluntary buyout plan for experienced teachers to plug an anticipated budget shortfall.

Rutherford County Board of Education approved “a voluntary early retirement buy-out offer for veteran teachers and classified employees,” at Thursday night’s meeting, RCS spokesman James Evans said.

The plan has only been proposed and must be approved by the Rutherford Education Association in March before further action can be taken, Evans said.

“Basically, this is a measure to save money because veteran employees typically make more,” Evans said.

The buyout offer was proposed to plug a possible $1.1 million shortfall in the school system’s budget. The shortfall comes from falling sales tax revenue because of the current economic crises.

The system has frozen support staff positions and cut utility costs, among other things, to try and plug the gap.

“There would be a cost to the system the first year, depending on how many take the option, but there would be significant savings the following years,” Evans said.

Under the proposal, teachers with more than 15 years but less than 25 years of experience will be offered between $15,000 to $20,000, depending on level of education, to retire early.

If 24 veteran teachers take the buyout, the system will pay more than $57,000 in the first year. But it would save more than $367,000 in the second year.

Evans declined to comment on whether the $789 billion federal economic stimulus package set for a vote today in Congress could save some of the jobs.

“We don’t have any idea how the stimulus package may affect our funding,” Evans said. “There has been no discussion by the Board about it until we know for sure what is available.”

The stimulus package holds about $106 billion for education. The funds could pay for special education, school repair and keeping teachers from being laid off or bought out.

Other school board business:
- The board approved changes to make becoming a valedictorian “more stringent and rigorous,” RCS spokesman James Evans said.

New requirements to be a valedictorian include completing a minimum number of honors or advanced placement classes and graduating with an honors diploma, as defined by the Tennessee Board of Education.

Rutherford County’s Board of Education also will look at revising policies to bring graduation requirements in line with the Tennessee Diploma Project.

- The board also approved a contract with Sain Construction to build 16 lighted tennis courts at Old Fort Park for a total cost to the county of $1,600,491.

The project will be managed by the Rutherford County School’s Engineering and Construction Department.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.

Tagged under RCS

Member Opinions:

By: appdancer on 2/13/09
How sad that we are encouraging veteran teachers to get out. We should be doing what we can to hold them, creating job sharing and other innovations to be able to use their experience for our students' education.

steve cates

By: j_d on 2/13/09
The sad state of our affairs and how America suffers when we all become apathetic! Stand up for your rights, voice your opinion and tell those teachers that are trying hard and not the ones that just take it easy that you care, that your children need them and that they are appreciated. Let's face it not everyone trys hard but those that do need to be recognized and praised and asked to stay.
Steve has it right and there should be a heck of a lot more responses to this article and to the board to make them understand what matters and that we need to keep the best in place and not let them walk off not knowing how much we appreciate them and need them to stay around. Their purpose in life is still providing for the future of America and our children.
Like the soldiers that serve our country that we should always say thank you to, tell that to the teachers too! Show your pride and your appreciation.
j_d

By: Owl on 2/13/09
Gee, we're spending $1.6 million (plus ongoing operating costs) on tennis courts and we have a $1.1 million budget shortfall. Pardon me for asking the obvious, but does anyone think that maybe the tennis courts could be put off for a little while until the economy improves? It is insane to be talking about teacher buyouts when the county is opening new schools virtually every year, requiring additional teachers.

By: Ruminator on 2/14/09
In my house...when times get hard...we don't get rid of the essential things in our home... we cut out the fluff. We don't go out and eat or go to movies every week. We give ourselves mini raises...by making wise choices. Hmmmmmmmmmmm....what's the fluff in our school systems? I know for a fact that it is NOT...seasoned veterans (the good, and productive ones). Appdancer, jd, and Owl are right.

By: nbouldin on 2/14/09
Sadly our county government is ran like out state government which is ran like our federal government. Poorly.
Tennis Courts 1.6 million??????????????

By: goodmom on 2/15/09
How about we build Buchanan a new school instead of building Tennis Courts. The mayor is holding this one back. Buchanan gets put on the back burner because of the mayor. Maybe they can teach the kids on the new tennis courts instead of the outdated school. I bet there would be a lot more room