Georgia senators advanced a bill that would allow retired teachers to return to the classroom and keep their pension. | Adam Winger/Unsplash
Georgia senators advanced a bill that would allow retired teachers to return to the classroom and keep their pension. | Adam Winger/Unsplash
Retired teachers may be able to return to the classroom while still collecting a state pension under a new bill receiving overwhelming support from Georgia senators.
House Bill 385 was approved 50-1 by senators last month. Under the new measure, teachers with 30 years of service would be able to return to the classroom after at least 12 months of retirement, while earning both a full salary and their pension, according to FOX 5.
The measure was first proposed by Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) as part of a plan to increase the number of teachers in the state.
"This bill benefits the retired teacher, our students, the retirement system, and rural Georgia," Sen. Russ Goodman (R-Thomas) told FOX 5. "This helps school systems fill vacant teaching positions in high-need areas with qualified and experienced teachers."
Districts would be able to hire retired teachers in three top-need areas designated by the state Department of Education in regions across Georgia, FOX 5 reported.
Goodman told FOX 5 there are currently 4,000 positions being filled statewide by teachers working outside their designated field, long-term substitutes, or someone finishing their degree. By bringing retired teachers back to the classroom, districts would pay the Teachers Retirement System the normal employer contribution of 19.98% of an employee's salary, as well as the 6% contribution that a teacher usually makes, according to Fox 5.
If implemented, the bill would be in effect for four years beginning July 1, with a state auditor-issued report in 2025 outlining its effectiveness, FOX 5 reported.
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