Principal may stay on after retiring

Jackson High School principal Rick McClard may continue to run the school even in retirement, a situation that would allow him to receive retirement pay while continuing to earn a salary.

Superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson said the school board may consider rehiring McClard as principal after he retires at the end of June.

School board president Gerald Adams said keeping McClard on as principal would make sense during construction of a new building and other improvements at the high school scheduled to occur over the next two years. "We're looking at what's best for the district," he said.

Under state law, the district could rehire McClard for up to two years if school officials find a critical shortage of qualified applicants.

Adams said the district will advertise the position. But finding a candidate who has managed a school during a construction project will be difficult, he said.

"We don't think we are going to find that person."

The school board accepted McClard's letter of retirement on March 28.

McClard, who is finishing a 31-year career in education, has worked in the Jackson district for 12 years. He has served as principal at the high school for eight years.

McClard said he might agree to stay on as principal if that's what the school district administration wants.

"I love education. I love being around kids. It is not a burnout or anything like that," he said of his retirement.

Based on his years of service in education, McClard would receive annual retirement pay equal to 79 percent of his average salary over the past three years.

He currently earns a salary of $84,859 as principal. He stands to earn over $60,000 a year in retirement pay. He could end up making over $140,000 a year for the next two years if the district keeps him on as principal.

Similar situations have occurred in other school districts.

An estimated 60 to 70 educators statewide are receiving retirement pay while continuing to be employed in schools, said Robert Rust, assistant executive director of the Public School and Education Employees Retirement System.

The system serves about 37,000 retired teachers in the state.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education doesn't police school district retirement practices. Retirement system officials monitor the rehiring of retired teachers and administrators.

Some superintendents are receiving full-time pay as well as their retirement pay, Rust said. Under a new legal provision that takes effect July 1, retired superintendents won't be able to continue working full time while receiving retirement pay.

The new restriction doesn't apply to other school positions. But districts still have to meet other requirements. "They have to tell us a member has been hired under critical-shortage criteria, Rust said.

Under state law, school districts must show a good-faith effort to fill full-time positions with individuals who aren't receiving retirement pay. Districts also must advertise the positions for at least a month. Before districts can rehire retired teachers or administrators they must declare a critical shortage and find that they received an insufficient number of eligible applicants.

But the law doesn't define what constitutes an "insufficient number."

Still, Rust said the intent of the law is clear. "The intent was to help districts fill spots they just couldn't find people for," he said.

The retirement system can demand a refund of retirement pay if a violation is found, he said. But proving that can be difficult.

Most complaints come from applicants who aren't hired for the school district jobs that end up going to retired educators, Rust said.

Complainants have little recourse other than to hire a lawyer and take the school district to court, he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123