The Morton Community Unit School District 709 Board of Education approved a memorandum of understanding on Sept. 2 to restore a health savings account (HSA) option tied to a high-deductible health insurance plan available through the district’s cooperative broker.

District presenters said the Central Illinois Educators (CIE) cooperative worked with the district during insurance renewals to develop a high-deductible option that would lower premiums. The MOU restores an HSA structure that district negotiators said previously existed in an earlier collective-bargaining agreement (2018–2021). District staff described the plan as producing cost savings for both employees who elect the high-deductible plan and for the district through shared premium savings.

Board members approved the MOU by roll-call vote. District administrators said offering the HSA option is intended to provide employees with more benefit choices while managing overall health-insurance costs.