LOCAL SCHOOLS

Northern Kentucky school districts are doing the following on Monday to protest the health-insurance plan for next year: Closed Boone County Kenton County Covington Erlanger-Elsmere Employees from these districts will participate in a rally at 11 a.m. Monday at the football stadium of Holmes High School in Covington. Open Beechwood: Supporters and staff, wearing protest T-shirts, will rally at 3:15 p.m. in front of Beechwood School. Newport: Staff and supporters will wear black and meet at 3:30 p.m. at A.D. Owens Elementary School, then march down Monmouth Street to rally at Fourth Street Elementary. Bellevue: Staff and supporters will rally from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Ben Flora gym of Bellevue High School. Fort Thomas: Supporters and staff, wearing black armbands and protest T-shirts, will gather at 3:45 p.m. across from Highlands High School. The group will walk to elected officials' homes to deliver a petition calling for insurance reform. Walton-Verona: A delegation of employees will have the day off to attend an 11 a.m. rally at Holmes High. Ludlow: An employee delegation will attend the Holmes rally, and employees will participate in the Bellevue event after school. Campbell: Staff and supporters will protest from 3 p.m. to at least 4:30 p.m. at Campbell County Middle School. Campbell will also send an employee delegation to the rally at Holmes. Dayton, Southgate, Silver Grove, Walton-Verona

Workers covered under the plan were supposed to begin enrolling Monday - the same day teachers and school employees from throughout the state have scheduled protests and demonstrations against those health benefits.

However, Fletcher said he met with the companies offering the plans - Anthem Blue Cross, Bluegrass Family Health, CHA Health and United Healthcare - and they have agreed to postpone enrollment.

"The companies were very willing to work with us and to push back those dates as much as possible to give us much flexibility," Fletcher said.

Fletcher announced plans earlier this month to revamp next year's state health insurance for teachers, school employees and state workers. A huge outcry followed, and the Kentucky Education Association has voted in favor of a statewide strike Oct. 27 if that plan isn't improved.

Teachers say that under the new plan, thousands face increases in their annual deductibles, premiums, pharmaceutical costs and other out-of-pocket expenses.

The state health plan covers 229,000 workers, retirees and dependents. There are about 35,000 retirees in the system.

Fletcher called lawmakers back to Frankfort Oct. 5 to help craft another plan.

Last week, the Kentucky Education Association voted its members and supporters should hold voluntary rallies Monday in protest of the health insurance plan and the open enrollment period, which was scheduled to start that day.

So far, 23 Kentucky school districts had planned to close or cancel classes Monday, said Brad Hughes, a spokesman for the Kentucky School Boards Association.

KEA President Frances Steenbergen said teachers were planning to use Monday for educating the public, state lawmakers and school district employees on details of the proposed plan. Fletcher's decision to suspend open enrollment would not deter them, she said.

Educators were planning a series of events Monday "from Pikeville to Paducah" and "from Covington to Columbia" in which KEA supporters would be rallying, holding voter registrations and wearing black armbands, she said.

Steenbergen also noted that there were multiple rallies planned at the state Capitol.

KEA officials, in voting for a possible strike, also wanted the current benefits restored as well as a commitment from Fletcher to work on next year's plan. Fletcher's decision to suspend the open enrollment was one component teachers wanted to divert a strike, Steenbergen said.

"It's a big concern, and we are glad that that piece has changed."

The governor said he understood teachers' reactions.

"I understand the teachers are very, very concerned, and they've expressed that concern to me," Fletcher said. "And I have a deep concern that I share with them as well."