Brainerd Teachers Approve Development Money Transfer

78% of Brainerd teachers voted last Friday to let the school board use next year's staff development money to hire instructors. Education Minnesota-Brainerd Union President Kathy Hegstrom told the Brainerd Dispatch that 2% of basic state education funding is set aside every year for staff development like teacher conferences and workshops. Hegstrom said $300,000 will be used to hire back five or six of the 60 teachers laid off for next fall. The balance, just over $500,000 will be used to hire a curriculum coordinator and a Reading Recovery teacher.