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HOUGHTON -- When Houghton students return to school next year, there may be fewer teachers, but Superintendent Bill Polkinghorne says the district has made it a priority to maintain all of the same educational programs.

"There should be no affect on the students, but don't get the idea that this isn't going to affect staff, because it is," says Polkinghorne.

This spring, 12 teachers and 6 other support staff members chose to apply for the new state incentive that increases the pension for all education employees who retire between July 1 and September 1 of this year.

The schools benefit, too, because they plan to hire only nine teaching replacements at an entry level salary, saving the district about $30,000 for each position.

"We needed to cut $700,000 to break even," Polkinghorne says.  "Just the teachers will save us about $300,000."

As for the L’Anse Area School district, three teachers and at least two support staff members will also retire.

Superintendent Ray Pasquali says the new law allows them to avoid layoffs.

"Out of three teachers that did retire, two will be replaced," says Pasquali.  "For the support staff, we'll look at either replacements or other accommodations."

While most districts have welcomed the retirement incentives, many think it's merely a good start.  They say the state will have to really rethink education funding if it wants to help local schools to escape the current financial crisis.