Liberty board approves 2025–26 employee benefits package; district to offer five medical plans for one year

The Liberty Elementary School District Governing Board voted unanimously on April 28 to approve the district—s 2025–26 employee benefits package, including an option to offer five medical plans for the coming year and a sunset date of June 30, 2026, for the grandfathered "classic gold" plan.

Human-resources staff told the board they collected employee feedback in a brief online survey and received 120 responses, about 45% of employees enrolled in district medical benefits. Corine Castellanos of human resources told the board that the district had earlier been notified that plan designs had changed even though premiums were guaranteed; insurers modified copays and deductibles on renewal. Castellanos said benefits consultant Gallagher and the insurer Meritaine had agreed — after district requests — to allow the district to offer all five plans for one year so employees would not have to forfeit existing plan options.

Under the approved plan, employees will continue to have access to the district—s medical, dental, vision, life insurance, health savings and flexible spending accounts, and supplemental coverages; the board record lists the full package. Staff recommended sunsetting the classic gold plan on June 30, 2026; district staff said that plan is closed to new enrollees and has been "running hot," contributing to higher cost pressure.

Board members asked whether employees could pay toward a buy-up plan; staff said the proposed value/gold buy-up would require an employee contribution (staff cited an example of $33 per month for employee-only coverage) and that offering five plans this year would give employees more options. Staff also said there was no premium increase guaranteed this year but that plan designs (deductibles and copays) had changed on renewal.

A motion to approve the 2025–26 benefit package including Option 3 (offering all five medical plans) and the June 30, 2026 sunset for the classic gold plan passed on a roll-call vote: Board member Schmidt, Aye; Board member Zimmerman, Aye; Vice President Kenyon, Aye; Board member Cerencioni, Aye; President Todd, Aye. The minutes show the board recorded the vote as 5 yes, 0 no.

Staff said the benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, short-term disability, critical care and hospital indemnity, supplemental accident and voluntary life insurance, and the district retiree program.