Lawrence teachers and school district officials hit a deadlock Friday when negotiating insurance benefits for teachers.

The meeting was one of many scheduled as negotiations for the 2005-06 school year continue.

District officials and Lawrence Education Assn. representatives also discussed teacher planning time, teachers’ duties and salaries at Lawrence Virtual School, and early retirement benefits. Salary – the hottest topic – is on hold as the district awaits a state school finance plan.

The teams sparred over two fringe benefit options. Teachers opted for a health plan that would increase the district’s costs by $283,500. District officials pressed for an option that is $75,600 less. They argued the difference could be spent on salaries.

“The board wants to put resources into salaries,” said Sue Morgan, a board representative to the district’s negotiating team. “We haven’t had a lot of complaints about fringe benefits.”

LEA President Sam Rabiola said the teachers’ team felt fringe benefits were part of an employee’s compensation package.

“We think that’s good use,” he said.

The district’s early retirement benefits likely will be another sticking point.

Mary Rodriguez, the district’s lead negotiator, has said the early retirement benefit for teachers should be addressed.

Teachers can retire early if they’ve been in the district 15 years and if the sum of their age and years of experience is 85.

• Lawrence school district puts hold on salary talk (06-24-05)

Teachers eligible for early retirement receive pensions, most in the $7,000 to $8,000 range per year for five years. They also receive health insurance for up to seven years. Teachers can take early retirement and work in another district.

Some say the benefits are an incentive for teachers to leave the system once they are eligible.

The district negotiators attempted to chip away at the early retirement benefit Friday. They offered to accept the pricier insurance plan in exchange for the decreasing funds for a part of the early retirement benefit.

Teachers negotiators rejected the proposal, and both sides ended the topic in a deadlock.

Al Gyles, head of the teachers’ negotiating team, said he’s received e-mails and calls from teachers saying the team shouldn’t change the benefit.

“We have heard a lot of concerns, in particular from teachers nearing that age or situation,” Gyles said.

The LEA has 585 members out of about 885 total certified staff, Rabiola said. Certified staff include teachers, nurses, counselors, and other nonadministrative positions.

The next negotiations meeting is Tuesday at 9 a.m.