The Mid-Prairie School Board decided to join a new insurance pool at their Monday meeting.

Mid-Prairie is now part of the Storm Protection Fund Deductible Pool. District business manager Jeff Swartzentruber explained it is an alternative to traditional insurance in which school districts across the state join a risk pool that he says would provide similar coverage to the district’s current insurance at significantly reduced cost.

The pool is open to school districts across the state and was initially proposed by representatives from Jester Insurance at a conference for school business officials earlier this year.

Currently, the district pays a $61,845 premium on a $50,000 deductible. Under the new risk pool, Mid-Prairie will pay a $36,540 contribution for the first year and has a $10,000 deductible.

Swartzentruber will join the pool’s governing board as a representative for small school districts. While the exact number of schools joining the pool is not yet known with the deadline not for another month, Swartzentruber indicated that he expects well over half of the state’s districts to join the pool.