St. Louis Public Schools presented a plan Tuesday to offer some district administrators and school leaders stipends of $25,000 if they are close to retirement.
The plan was detailed during the district's regular Board of Education meeting as a part of its broader school consolidation plan. About 28 district personnel qualify for the bonuses. If the school board approves the proposal and enough staff opt into the program, the district could save about $4.1 million annually beginning as early as next school year.
The positions that qualify for the program include: academic instructional coaches, principals, assistant principals, school program leaders, principal coaches and network superintendents.
The total cost of the bonuses would be $700,000. The application window opens in November. Staff must notify the district of their decision to opt into the program by Dec. 15.
In order to qualify, district staff must be eligible for retirement from July 1, 2027, to Jan. 15, 2028. The stipend would be paid out 60 days after an employee's retirement date.
"We want to avoid disruptions of leadership during the middle parts of the year. We want to see the retirement situation happen at a sooner pace," district administrator Tyler Archer said.
The retirement proposal offers additional insight into how the district is working to tackle a projected $41 million budget deficit for this school year and implement its "Future Ready" school closures plan.
SLPS may close 14 schools next year, convert about 10 of its magnet schools into neighborhood schools and drastically overhaul its transportation offerings to families.
The closures would mean smaller staffs would be required to operate the remaining schools. The district may cut up to 300 staff positions. Some personnel may be reassigned to other roles. For example, building principals may become assistant principals to support schools with larger student enrollment within the district.
Superintendent Myra Berry has said that if the plan is approved by the school board, the school consolidations should save the district $23.6 million per year by cutting staff and transportation. The district is also trying to sell its large portfolio of formerly closed schools in hopes of decreasing its building maintenance costs over time.
But district officials have not publicly shared the cost associated with school conversions and retrofitting schools to accommodate additional students.
The district's human resources department surveyed 19 of the qualified employees and found that 10 said they would support the proposal, two said they would not, and seven said they were unsure.
The school board is expected to vote on the district's school closures plan next month.
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