GRAND FORKS (AP) - Seventeen teachers and administrators have taken early retirement from the Grand Forks School District this year.

The retirements come as most other bigger districts have stopped the practice of early buyouts, with at least one district paying bonuses to keep experienced teachers.

The retirement incentives offered the teachers this year will cost the Grand Forks School District $718,535, officials said.

Superintendent Mark Sanford said the retirement incentives save money for the district. The retiree might be replaced with a less-experienced, less-costly teacher or might not be replaced at all, sparing the district from layoffs, he said.

The West Fargo School District will approve its final early retirement incentives this year, said Mark Lemer, business manager. The primary reason for dropping the policy was that the district was having a hard time filling positions, he said.

"It seemed to be counterproductive," Lemer said.

The Bismarck School District began phasing out its retirement incentive about four years ago, will make its final payments to the program this year, business manager Ed Gerhardt said.

Not only was the district experiencing a shortage of teachers, Gerhardt said, but the cost for the incentive was rising with a large number of people retiring.

Teachers nearing retirement are offered bonuses to continue working.

"They did a 180," Gerhardt said of the school board.

In Grand Forks, the district hasn't had difficulty filling most positions, possibly because of its proximity to the University of North Dakota, Sanford said.