Bryan schools to pay staff to resign

Bryan school district employees have another opportunity to receive a bonus for resigning early.

However, the bonus will be less than last year's offer and is available only to the first 150 people to request it.

Assistant Superintendent Timothy Rocka told school board members Monday the move could save the district about $1 million, depending on the budget the board adopts. The district needs to reduce its 2012-13 budget by $3 million.

Employees who want to receive the bonus must submit a letter to the district administration by March 9, an earlier date than last year's April 1 deadline.

Through the program, teachers with less than two years of experience are eligible for $500; employees with three to 15 years with the district can receive up to 3 percent of their annual salary or a maximum of $3,000; and those employed more than 15 years can receive up to $5,000, or 7 percent of their annual salary.

Last year, 85 people took advantage of the offer, which cost the district $300,000, Rocka said.

Board member Kelli Levey said she was hesitant to reward people for leaving.

"We shouldn't just give them money on the way out the door," she said.

Levey said she would hope the district attracts the kind of people who would let the district know well in advance that they'd be leaving.

Superintendent Thomas Wallis said that may be an ideal situation, but that's not reality. Allowing employees to wait until the last possible day to resign -- July 4 -- only hurts students by hindering the district's ability to plan and prepare for vacancies.

Rocka said the idea behind the program is to prompt those who have already decided to resign to do so at an earlier date.

The earlier the district and principals receive word of the upcoming vacancy, the sooner administration can begin to determine where funding can be saved, he said.

"This is just a proactive way to take a look at it and see if we can chip away on the $3 million," he said.