"The Board of Education has no intention to reconsider alternate plans," said a letter to employees posted on the district's Web site. ". . . the board is now looking to the future to see what we can do for our current and future employees in providing better salaries, basic benefits and addressing the ongoing issue of lowering class size."

Thursday's news may bring an end to an effort by teachers in the state's largest school district to urge the school board to re-examine its decision to cut retirement benefits. Of three plans considered, board members chose the option that most drastically reduced employees' benefits.

The benefits changed are those Jordan employees receive on top of state retirement benefits and Social Security.

They included post-retirement health insurance coverage for the cost of the premium plus 10 percent and payouts for unused sick leave, among other perks.

The move resulted from a new accounting rule that applies to all government entities. It requires the district to fund retirement benefits as they accrue rather than after retirement occurs. Officials said the change made maintaining current benefits too expensive. Last year, Jordan district paid $8 million for post-retirement benefits. If it had maintained those benefits and complied with the new rule, it would have had to set aside about $16 million a year.

The Jordan Education Association, which represents more than 2,000 teachers, had sent the petitions to nearly all of the 87 schools in the district. The goal was to let board members know how teachers felt.

"We had hoped they would realize that this morale problem is throughout the district and it's not a few isolated people," said Scott Berryessa, JEA president.

The association has said as many as 730 veteran employees may retire this year as a result of the benefits change. It also has said it may force teachers with fewer than 10 years of experience to flee. Such teachers make up 53 percent of the Jordan School District's 3,700-person faculty.

The association resorted to sending the petitions after the board declined to negotiate with teachers. JEA had proposed applying a portion of employees' salary increase to another plan so the board could consider the other benefit options without having to find additional funding.

Board President Peggy Jo Kennett said the board does value its teachers.

"But we also have the other aspects of the district to look at, the needs of the taxpayers, the needs of the students," she said. "We have to evaluate all of those aspects and sometimes it's a very difficult balancing act."

Flap over retirement benefits plan

l The issue: Whether the Jordan School Board should reconsider its plan to cut employee retirement benefits.

l What's new: The board said Thursday its decision is final despite having received petitions from half the district's schools calling on members to reopen their discussion.

l What's next: The Jordan Education Association predicts more than 700 veteran employees will retire this year, and hundreds of younger teachers also may leave.