Kaneland wants retiring teachers to leave a little earlier

The Kaneland school board is considering offering an incentive to get 11 teachers who intend to retire in June 2011 to retire in 2010 instead.

It expects by having them leave a year early the district will save money. The teachers would presumably be replaced with less-experienced, lower-paid people.

The proposal suggests a $10,000 stipend, plus a monthly contribution toward the cost of continuing health insurance until the retiree is eligible for Medicare. For teachers with 20 or more years of in-district experience, the monthly amount would be $200; for others, $100.

Teachers can give up to four years notice of their intent to retire, under an early-retirement incentive program approved in the last teacher's contract. That provision gives them 6 percent more nonexempt Teacher Retirement System-eligible income for each of those years.

The District 302 school board meets at 7 p.m. Monday in the library at Kaneland High School, Meredith and Keslinger roads, Maple Park.