Martin County board agrees to grandfather current retirees while staff studies changes to retiree health policy

The Martin County School Board signaled consensus on a plan to protect current retirees’ health insurance benefits while staff gathers more data on possible policy changes.

Don Calderon, the district’s director of risk management and employee benefits, presented options the superintendent recommended after workshops in September 2024 and January 2025. Calderon told the board that “Florida statute 112.0801 requires that school districts offer the same medical insurance to retirees that they offer to active employees,” and emphasized staff were focused on funding and budget options, not removing coverage.

The issue drew a long public-comment period. Multiple retirees and longtime employees testified that the district’s retiree-health subsidy was a key recruitment and retention tool. “We have earned what we were contractually promised,” said Missy Campbell, a 34‑year district teacher who retired in recent years. Virginia Skinner, another retiree, told the board she had planned retirement decisions around the benefit and called any reduction a financial hardship.

Calderon walked the board through three employee buckets used…