On Monday, March 10th, the Bellefontaine City Schools Board of Education approved the resignation and retirement of Superintendent Brad Hall, only to rehire him for the same role.
Initially, the terms of Hall’s rehire were undisclosed; however, further inquiries revealed that the board will honor Hall’s current contract and his annual salary remains consistent at $135,851. Hall is in the third year of a 5-year contract which runs through the 2026/2027 school year.
On behalf of the Board, President Colin Yoder issued the following statement:
“Retiring/rehiring is both legal and common practice among public educators in the state of Ohio and in Logan County school districts. When a superintendent retires/rehires, it does not cost the school district or taxpayers any additional dollars. It simply enables a superintendent or teacher to collect deferred compensation paid into their retirement fund over the course of their career. In Mr Hall’s case, the board agreed to allow him to retire/rehire and honored the terms of his existing contract, which expires at the end of the 2026 to 2027 school year. His salary is 135k. In accordance with the current retire/rehire policy, Mr Hall will forfeit his first two months of retirement pay. If a board of education were to adopt a stance against retiring/rehiring, it would put the district in a competitive disadvantage when it comes to attracting and retaining teachers and administrators, as many in education want that option.”
Hall also addressed the situation in a statement earlier this week, saying he was thankful for the opportunity to continue leading Bellefontaine City Schools.
“I truly feel blessed to be the superintendent of Bellefontaine Schools,” Hall said. “I believe in the work being done in the classroom, and I believe in the highly talented and dedicated staff that works with our children day in and day out.”
Hall, who has been in education for 33 years, said that recent changes to the eligibility requirements for the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) made him eligible for retirement.
“If I am fortunate enough to be considered for a contract beyond that time frame, the board and I will have discussions about a reduction in salary going forward,” Hall explained. “Right now, my sole focus is on providing Bellefontaine students with the best education possible in a safe and supportive environment.”
