The South Burlington School District is implementing a proactive fiscal strategy designed to reduce the likelihood of program cuts and employee layoffs in the coming years. After an extensive review of available options, the district is introducing a voluntary incentive plan for select employees at the highest end of the pay scale. The Employee Severance Plan (ESP™) was approved at the January 14, 2026, board of education meeting.
District officials project that approximately 18 professional staff members—teachers and administrators—and 15 classified employees who are near or at the top of their respective salary schedules will voluntarily participate in the ESP™. This reduction in higher-salaried positions is expected to generate significant cost savings, estimated in the millions of dollars over the next several years. Through this voluntary plan, the district will be able to replace positions at a lower cost, not replace certain positions and re-structure utilizing attrition.
“It doesn’t solve everything, but it certainly helps,” said Superintendent Dr. Joe Clark. “This can help avoid potential layoffs, as staff will voluntarily exit the district.”
Dr. Clark emphasized the financial realities facing the district, noting the importance of balancing fiscal responsibility with the preservation of educational quality. “The fact is, we have a limited income, and even though we value all of our employees, we also know we need to minimize lay-offs and program cuts. We cannot afford to strictly use lay-offs, as the number needed will put too much pressure on increased class sizes. It’s this type of budget planning that will help mitigate cuts and reductions,” he said.
The ESP™ was developed in consultation with Educators Preferred Corporation (EPC), a Novi, Michigan–based firm specializing in voluntary early buy-out severance plans for school districts nationwide. EPC has supported more than 700 districts across the United States. Dr. Clark, who previously worked with EPC during his tenure in Ohio, recommended the plan to the School Board following EPC’s presentation.
Implementation of the ESP™ will begin in the coming weeks. “We’re anxious to get the plan rolling so our employees and our building principals can start planning,” Dr. Clark added.