Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Bryan Johnson intends to propose a plan to push longtime educators toward retirement when the school board meets today.
Over the course of several weeks of meetings between individual board members and Johnson and his newly appointed chief officers, Johnson has laid out a plan to offer substantial incentive packages to eligible retirees. The packages could reportedly be based on a percentage of the employee’s annual salary – up to 25 percent – or on different tiers based on the number of years served in the district.
Johnson confirmed Wednesday that the item is on the agenda. Asked about the amounts of the incentives, the number of eligible retirees and where the money would come from, he said only that the district’s finance department had looked at the plan and it would be presented to the board.
Several board members support Johnson’s proposal.
“I think it is a good idea,” said board member Joe Smith, of District 3. “It gives educators a choice. I think sometimes we forget that, after all, we are a business, we are a $460 million business and if it makes sense for a business, then it’s a good idea.”