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Bryan ISD to require staff attendance at mandatory benefits 'road show' before Nov. 3 open enrollment
Summary
CFO Norma Friddle previewed the 2026 benefits timeline: proposed plans and financial scenarios in September, open enrollment Nov. 3–21, and mandatory district informational sessions this fall to explain the self‑funded medical plan and how use of freestanding ERs affects costs.
Norma Friddle, Bryan ISD’s chief financial officer, presented an overview of the 2026 employee benefits process and timeline and told trustees there are no approvals required at the Aug. 18 meeting — the presentation was informational.
Friddle outlined the schedule: staff will present proposed plan options and financial scenarios at the Sept. 8 board meeting; the board will consider proposed plan changes on Sept. 22; the district will begin open enrollment communications Oct. 1; open enrollment for employees is scheduled to run Nov. 3–21, and selected changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Friddle said a major focus of the sessions will be educating employees about the district’s self‑funded plan and how selecting higher‑cost sites of care — for example, freestanding emergency rooms for nonemergency conditions — increases costs for the district and ultimately affects employees. She described a planned informational “road show” that will visit every campus and department and said staff plan to provide concrete examples showing how plan choices affect both individual out‑of‑pocket cost and district finances.
Trustees asked whether the sessions would be mandatory; Friddle and trustees confirmed the district intends the road show to be mandatory this year so all employees hear the same information before they make enrollment choices.
Open enrollment actions: none taken at the meeting; trustees asked staff to proceed with the timeline and the mandatory informational sessions and to return proposed plan changes for board consideration in September.
