ST. LOUIS (AP) – A new Missouri law has made 183 St. Louis teachers eligible for retirement, though the district’s top administrator and union members don’t expect an exodus of teachers.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the school district is sending teachers a letter signed by Superintendent Kelvin Adams and the American Federation of Teachers’ local president, Sally Topping, urging retirement-eligible teachers to stay.

Adams and the union say many of the teachers would have to pay hundreds of dollars a month out-of-pocket for health care if they retire early from the district that already has about 45 teaching vacancies.

A small provision of a new pension law that takes effect Aug. 28 allows teachers to retire when their years of service plus age total 80, down from 85.