Weeks after approving a $630,141 assessment tied to the closure of its previous health insurance consortium, the Excelsior Springs School Board unanimously approved a new employee coverage plan and higher monthly district contributions for the next school year.The vote followed more than an hour of discussion during a recent meeting focused on rising healthcare costs, employee retention and the amount of financial burden district workers should be asked to absorb as officials work through a difficult budget year.The board first voted 7-0 to reallocate district funds previously used for employee community center memberships toward health insurance support, then approved a second 7-0 motion to join Ozarks School Benefits Association (OSBA) for health insurance and supplemental benefits beginning with the 2026-27 school year. Under the approved plan, the district contribution toward employee health insurance premiums will be set at $665 per month, while dental and vision ...