LARGO, Fla. — The Pinellas County School Board voted Tuesday to enlist help from the Florida Educator Health Trust, a nonprofit that will evaluate the district's healthcare benefits and contracts to identify potential cost savings.
Superintendent Kevin Hendrick described the Board's action as a first step.
WATCH: 'I don't know what to do': Educators speak out about potential health insurance hike impacts
"Simply an exploratory ask for them to examine our practices and give us feedback on are there ways in which we can save money and then move from there," Hendrick said.
The move comes as teachers and educators spoke about the financial strain of rising health insurance costs on their wallets, families and health.
Concerns raised during public comment included:
- "Many of us are rapidly losing the ability to continue shouldering the added costs of a job we love."
- "Please do not place the burden on the everyday hard-working families."
- "Right now I pay just over $700 a month for my health insurance. The proposed cost would go up to $1,200 a month."
- "Nowadays this amount is equating to a rent payment."
Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association President Tracey McConnell, who is currently negotiating with the District over healthcare costs, called it one of the biggest issues teachers have faced in years.
"While I understand there is a need for them to balance the budget, there has to be a better way of them doing it than putting it on the employees," said McConnell. "I've heard people say they will have to choose between insuring their spouse and insuring their child."
School Board Member Laura Hine acknowledged the weight of the decision ahead.
"I appreciate opening the doors, opening the gates to ideas of how we can deal with this significant financial issue, but at the end of the day it is going to have a negative impact on our employees," Hine said.
PCTA said the next bargaining session between the Association and the District is scheduled for Thursday.
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