JACKSON SCHOOL BOARD OKs HEALTH PLAN

JACKSON -- The cost of medical and dental insurance for employees of the Jackson public school district is going up, but the good news is there will be no increase in the current $100 deductible.

The Jackson school board voted Monday to accept the recommendation of the employee insurance committee to continue the employee health and dental care coverage with the Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company for 1991-92.

Business Manager Howard Alexander said there is a 15 percent increase in medical premiums and an 8 percent hike in dental premiums.

"We felt the increase was not sufficient to increase the deductible, so it will remain the same," Alexander told the board. The new policy becomes effective July 1.

Under the new plan, the monthly cost for each employee's medical coverage will increase from $151.40 last year to $174.11 this year. The cost for the dental premium goes from $11.55 to $12.51 a month. The figures are based on 12-month coverage for active or retired school district employees under age 65.

In other action, the board accepted a state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education classification report that rates the Jackson School District triple-A in every category but one.

Superintendent Wayne Maupin said the di~strict was only rated double-A in the elementary school principal standard because it does not have an assistant elementary school principal. The state report said the district needs a qualified assistant elementary school principal for full-time administrative and supervisory duties.

"We simply have too many students, too many teachers, and not enough administrators in our elementary schools," Maupin explained. The administration and the board have attempted to correct the problem, but the position has not been filled because of lack of funds.

Except for the one double-A rating in the elementary school principal standard, Maupin said the district was rated triple-A in all of the other elementary, and junior and senior high school standards, including: principals, teachers, learning resources, libraries and personnel, teaching load, pupil personnel services and course curriculum.

The superintendent gave board members a copy of the district's "response plan" to the recent Missouri School Improvement Review conducted in January. A report based on the review was presented to the board at its April 9 meeting.

The response plan addresses concerns listed in the final report. Maupin said the responses were "intentionally general to give us a starting point." A part of the plan includes the appointment in the 1991-92 school year of a 12-member School Improvement Committee. He said the committee and its subcommittees will have an integral part in the planning and implementation of the district's response plan.

"This is a living document that will be with us for the next five years," said Maupin. If the plan is approved at the May 28 board meeting, it will go to the state Board of Education for review.

Maupin said bids for the new school transportation center will be opened on June 10, with the board acting on the bids at its June 11 meeting.