RICHMOND, Va. — A topic discussed at Monday night's Richmond Public Schools board meeting could potentially impact teachers' pay.
RPS is considering splitting healthcare costs 50/50 with employees.
The change could save the school system upwards of $4 million and help to balance the budget constraints.
Currently, the school system absorbs 100% of cost increases for various health care plans, according to chief talent officer Maggie Clemmons.
She says with this proposal, employees will contribute more for their health coverage, increasing their cost by an average of 10%.
RPS board member Shavonda Fernandez says feedback first needs to be gathered from those that this change will impact the most.
"One of the historical themes since I've been on the school board since February of last year is ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table, right? And there are times where we may not agree, or they may agree to disagree, but at least they're being heard. What I would like to see more of is a proactive approach to how we make these types of decisions," Fernandez said.
Since Monday night was just the first reading of the proposal, no vote was taken.
If it is eventually approved by the board, RPS will join school systems in Chesterfield, Stanton, Powhatan and Goochland. It will go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky| Facebook| Instagram| X| Threads| TikTok| YouTube
