Trustees voted to implement a retiree‑rehire cost-sharing approach for employees who retire and then return to district employment on or after Sept. 1, 2025. The action follows state statutory changes that allow employers to require returning retirees to help pay the 16.5% surcharge the state charges for reemploying a retired educator.

Under the board-approved arrangement, the district will pay 8.25% of an affected employee’s gross salary and the employee will pay the remaining 8.25%; the rehired employee will also be responsible for the state medical insurance contribution (cited at $535 per month in the presentation). Administration explained the change is limited to rehires after Sept. 1, 2025, and that paying the surcharge previously prevented the district from rehiring some retirees when costs were prohibitive.

Trustees discussed the trade-offs: some said the policy helps the district manage costs, while others warned it could discourage experienced educators from returning. Board members asked administration to monitor hiring effects and noted that retirees who serve as short-term substitutes remain governed by separate rules.