As of Monday, more than 1,400 public school and two-year college employees across the state have filed paperwork with plans to retire Dec. 1.

That’s a little more than five times the number of employees who retired December 2010 — when 247 employees filed. And according to state law, those who don’t retire by Dec. 1 will have to pay more for health insurance coverage, which will increase to 2.25 percent by next year.

Selma City Schools interim superintendent of education Gerald Shirley said there are five or more employees set to retire by December.

“I have mixed feelings,” Shirley said about the number of retirees. “I think they’re looking at the premiums going up.”

Shirley said even though most teachers who retire by Dec. 1 may not return after Christmas, a new Alabama law gives teachers options, allowing them to postpone or suspend their retirement pay from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1, 2012.

“If they take option three they will complete paperwork (and) if employee comes back in January they’ll receive retirement check and be a substitute … and receive substitute teacher’s salary for the month of December only,” Shirley said. “If they decided to stay, from January to September (they) will receive regular salary.”

Shirley is in favor of the new plan because he said it keeps highly qualified teachers in the classroom.

“Health services are so expensive,” Shirley said. “Premiums for PEEHIP are going up. Single coverage went from $2 to $15. We can’t pay them (teachers) any more money than in the contract. There’s no local or district incentive as far as salary.

“During this time it’s hard to find those teachers — it puts you in a bind to replace those teachers,” Shirley said. “I hope it (the plan) entices and encourages them to remain.”

The deadline to file or mail papers for retirement consideration is Tuesday, said Retirement Systems of Alabama deputy director Marc Reynolds. Reynolds also said those who have filed papers to retire Dec. 1 could change their minds by Nov. 30.

Dallas County Schools superintendent Fannie McKenzie was unavailable for comment.