Early retirement cut might not save

Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, in his presentation to JFAC this morning on education budgets, said his committee reviewed the $62 million in cuts for public schools proposed earlier by state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna, and had concerns about whether one really would mean savings. Luna proposed eliminating an early teacher retirement incentive program to save $4 million a year. But Goedde said it all depends on the assumptions, as far as who retires and who replaces them. The Idaho Education Association estimates eliminating the incentive could actually cost the state $9 million a year, as experienced teachers choose not to retire and be replaced by new, less experienced ones. Either number could be right, depending on the assumptions, Goedde told JFAC.

“So actually the number is probably somewhere in the middle?” asked Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle. “That would be my guess,” Goedde said.