Remove barriers to retired-teacher re-entry—earnings cap exemptions and Deferred Retirement Option Programs—to fill immediate vacancies in shortage fields¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report recommends eliminating barriers to re-entry for retired teachers as an immediate, lower-cost solution. In 2016 CalSTRS received 88 separation-from-service exemption applications, nearly seven times the 13 received in 2013, suggesting retirees are willing to return and districts want to hire them. The report proposes an earnings limit exemption allowing retirees to fill critical vacancies in high-need fields, and describes DROP pension approaches used in Louisiana and Florida that can be designed to be revenue neutral.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Retirees must pay into the retirement system while working for a pilot exemption to be cost neutral

Constraints¶

• In 2016–17 retired teachers were capped at earning $41,732 annually in California public schools, while average teacher salary is about $70,000, so most retirees would exceed the limit

Target Learners¶

• retired California teachers in shortage fields and the districts seeking to hire them

Target Learning Goals¶

• filling critical teaching vacancies in high-need fields and hard-to-staff classrooms with experienced educators

Related Strategies¶

• Offer targeted service scholarships, loan forgiveness, and 1-year postbaccalaureate residency programs to rapidly expand the supply of well-prepared teachers in shortage fields and locations
• Deploy service scholarships, loan forgiveness, and teacher residencies to staff high-need fields and schools

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Carver-Thomas, D. & Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Addressing California's growing teacher shortage: 2017 update. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/ca-teacher-shortage-2017-update