Older teachers would get help to retire early under Senate measure

OLYMPIA — Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown has introduced a bill aimed at enticing older teachers to retire early and make way for a younger crowd.

Senate Bill 5846 would allow teachers who want to retire before age 65 to get $250 a month over the next three years to help pay for health-insurance coverage until they can qualify for Medicare.

"Looming health-care costs for retiring teachers not only keep the highest paid teachers on the payroll who would otherwise exit the system, they create roadblocks for younger teachers eager to get their start in the classroom," Brown, D-Spokane, said in a statement.

The measure also could help prevent layoffs of newer teachers with little seniority in the coming years, she said. The Legislature is facing a nearly $5 billion shortfall in the next two-year budget and is expected to reduce funding to public schools.

It's not clear yet how much the measure might cost.

The bill currently would apply only to teachers in an older, closed Plan 1 pension. Roughly 5,000 teachers in the plan were still working in 2009. If that many were able to take advantage of the subsidy, the estimated cost would be a maximum of $48 million over three years.

The legislation would offer the subsidy to teachers who retire between June 1, 2011, and Aug. 31, 2011. The subsidy would begin Sept. 1, 2011, and would last until Aug. 31, 2014.

Brown said the measure is aimed at teachers within three years of retirement. She expects some, if not all, of the cost would be offset because the teachers leaving would be among the higher paid in the state due to their education and experience.

A full analysis has not been done yet projecting costs and potential savings.

Most teachers with at least 16 years of experience earn more than $57,000 a year, according to Brown's office. In comparison, a new teacher with a bachelor's degree starts out at a little over $34,000. Reducing the number of teachers making bigger salaries could lower overall education costs

"The prime motivation is not just fiscal, but to recognize we have teachers who have dedicated decades of service to students and may have some health issues or be in a place where they are ready to move on into retirement and this could give them the opportunity to do that," Brown said in an interview.

"Younger teachers will have a little more space in the system, so it's a win-win from that perspective."

Paul Rosier, executive director of the Washington Association of School Administrators, noted that budget cuts create stress in public schools, even for veteran teachers.

"When fear begins to strike the organization, even though you are pretty sure you're safe ... you're not protected from the fear."

Under the circumstances, he said, Brown's proposal "may be a real viable option for people who are close to winding up their careers."

Andrew Garber: 360-236-8268 or agarber@seattletimes.com