Blogs

Our team blogs regularly on a broad range of topics related to education reform and provides a blend of leading-edge perspectives. One of Bellwether’s greatest strengths is that diversity of viewpoint is encouraged among the partner team and throughout the organization. Everyone at Bellwether is committed to dramatic improvements in our public education system, but internally there are different views about how to accomplish that work. As a result, the views expressed in these blogs should be considered to be those of the writers rather than organizational viewpoints of Bellwether or of any organizations or individuals with whom Bellwether works. Likewise, outgoing links do not constitute any type of endorsement of other websites or organizations.

Ahead of the Heard

The Bellwether team blog, Ahead of the Heard, features regular commentary, analysis, and original insights from our staff.

Post-Espinoza, It’s Time to Embrace More Pluralism

July 2, 2020

Alex Spurrier

The majority opinion in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue from Chief Justice Roberts could not be more clear: “A State need not subsidize private education. But once a State decides to do so, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious.” With this ruling, “Blaine Amendments” in state constitutions were essentially […]

The post Post-Espinoza, It’s Time to Embrace More Pluralism appeared first on Ahead of the Heard.

Eduwonk

Andrew Rotherham provides education news, analysis, and commentary through his widely read blog, Eduwonk.com.

Where Do Testing and Accountability Go From Here?

June 30, 2020

Chad Aldeman

My Bellwether colleagues Alex Spurrier, Jenn Schiess, Andy Rotherham, and I released a set of briefs today looking at the past, present, and future of standards-based reform. Those include:

In The Historical Roots and Theory of Change of Modern School Accountability, we review the history and logic behind standards-based reform to recall the foundational goals and rationale for the main strategic levers reformers were trying to pull.
In The Impact of Standards-Based Accountability, we assess the strengths and weaknesses of the ways in which standards-based reform has been operationalized in policy and practice and begin to identify what should be retained and what should evolve.
In Assessment and Accountability in the Wake of COVID-19, we explore what accountability may mean in a global pandemic, as challenges of equity in our education systems are exacerbated and the need to rapidly assess and address those challenges is urgent.

A forthcoming webinar will further explore these topics.

Join us on Monday July 20th for a conversation with Jeb Bush, John B. King, Jr., and Carissa Moffat Miller about how we should measure the impact of education systems on students, particular students of color and low-income students, even as COVID-19 changes schooling dramatically. Register and learn more here.

–Guest post by Chad Aldeman

Teacher Pensions

Teacherpensions.org, a project of Bellwether Education Partners, provides high-quality information and analysis to help stakeholders – especially teachers and policymakers – understand the teacher pension issue and the trade-offs among various options for reform.

What Is the Teacher Retirement Age in My State?

May 27, 2020

Chad

At what age can teachers retire?

The answer to that question depends on the state, the date the teacher began their employment, their age, and their years of service.

The table below is intended as a helpful tool for teachers to understand the rules that might affect them. For each state pension plan, the table provides the normal and early retirement ages applicable to teachers based on their hire date and relevant benefit tier.

Nearly every state has multiple tiers with different benefit rules that depend on the teacher’s start date. For each tier, the plan’s “normal” retirement age reflects the point at which the teacher can retire and begin collecting his or her full benefit. Retirement ages are generally expressed as a combination of age and years of service. For example, Alabama allows its Tier I employees to retiree with full benefits at age 60 once they have 10 years of service, or any age once they attain 25 years of service. In the table, these are marked as “60/10” and “Any/25,” respectively.

Many states also offer teachers the option to retire early with a reduced benefit. For example, Arizona allows teachers to claim a reduced pension benefit beginning at age 50 for those employees with five or more years of service. The farther away the worker is from the plan's normal retirement age, the larger the reduction they face. Those reductions are permanently locked in once the employee begins collecting their benefit.

See the table below for the normal and early retirement ages in your state. For more information, check out our state pages, or contact your state's pension plan.

State

Plan Name

Tier

Normal Retirement Eligibility: (Age/Years of Service)

Early Retirement Eligibility: (Age/Years of Service)

Alabama

Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) - Tier 1

Hired before January 1, 2013

60/10; Any/25

Alabama

Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) - Tier 2

Hired on or after January 1, 2013

62/10

Alaska

Alaska Teachers Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 1990 and before July 1, 2006

60/8; Any/20

55/8

Alaska

Alaska Teachers Retirement System

Hired after July 1, 2006

N/A

Arizona

Arizona State Retirement System

Hired before Jan. 1, 1984

60/10; 65/1; Age + YOS = 80;

50/5

Arizona

Arizona State Retirement System

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 1984 and before July 1, 2011

62/10; 65/1; Age + YOS = 80

50/5

Arizona

Arizona State Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2011

65/1; 62/10; 60/25; 55/30

50/5

Arkansas

Arkansas Teacher Retirement System

60/5; Any/28

Any/25

California

California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS)

Hired before January 1, 2012

60/5

50/30; 55/5

California

California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS)

Hired on or after January 1, 2013

62/5

55/5

Colorado

Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA)

Hired before July 1, 2005; vested on January 1, 2011

50/30; 55 and AGE + YOS = 80; 65/5

50/25; 55/20; 60/5

Colorado

Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA)

Hired after June 30, 2005 and before January 1, 2007; vested on January 1, 2011

Any/35; 55 and AGE + YOS = 80; 65/5

50/25; 55/20; 60/5

Colorado

Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA)

Hired after December 31, 2006 and before January 1, 2011

Any/35; 55 and AGE + YOS = 85; 65/5

50/25; 55/20; 60/5

Colorado

Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA)

Hired after December 31, 2010

Any/35; 58 and AGE + YOS = 88; 65/5

50/25; 55/20; 60/5

Connecticut

Teachers' Retirement Board

All

60/20; Any/35

60/10; 55/20; Any/25

Delaware

Delaware State Employees' Pension Plan

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 1997 and before Jan. 1, 2012

62/5; 60/15; Any/30

55/15; Any/25

Delaware

Delaware State Employees' Pension Plan

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 2012

65/10; 60/20; Any/30

55/15; Any/25

District of Columbia

District of Columbia Teachers' Retirement Plan

Hired before Nov. 1, 1996

62/5; 60/20; 55/30

District of Columbia

District of Columbia Teachers' Retirement Plan

Hired on or after Nov. 1, 1996

62/5; 60/20; Any/30

Florida

Florida Retirement System Pension Plan: Regular Class

Hired before July 1, 2011

62/6

42/6

Florida

Florida Retirement System Pension Plan: Regular Class

Hired on or after July 1, 2011

65/8

45/8

Florida

Florida Retirement System Investment Plan

Effective July 1, 2002

Any/1

N/A

Georgia

Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS)

60/10; Any/30

Any/25

Hawaii

Employees’ Retirement System of the State of Hawaii (ERS) - Contributory Plan for General Employees

Hired before July 1, 1984

55/5

Any/25

Hawaii

Employees’ Retirement System of the State of Hawaii (ERS) - Noncontributory Plan

Hired on or after July 1, 1984 and before July 1, 2006

55/30; 62/10

55/20

Hawaii

Employees’ Retirement System of the State of Hawaii (ERS) - Hybrid Plan

Hired on or after July 1, 2006 and before July 1, 2012

55/30; 62/5

50/20

Hawaii

Employees’ Retirement System of the State of Hawaii (ERS) - Hybrid Plan

Hired on or after July 1, 2012

60/30; 65/10

50/20

Idaho

Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI)

65/5; Age + YOS = 90

55/5

Illinois

Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois

Hired before Jan. 1, 2011 (Tier 1)

65/any; 62/5; 60/10; 55/35

55/20

Illinois

Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 2011 (Tier 2)

65/any; 67/10

62/10

Indiana

Indiana State Teachers Retirement Fund

65/10; 60/15; age 55 and age + YOS = 85

50/15

Iowa

Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS)

Retired before July 1, 2012

62/20; 65/4; 55 and AGE + YOS = 88; 70 and still working for IPERS

55/4

Iowa

Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS)

Hired after June 30, 2012

62/20; 65/7; 55 and AGE + YOS = 88; 70 and still working for IPERS

55/7

Kansas

Kansas Public Employees Retirement System: School Tier 1

Hired before July 1, 2009

65/1; 62/10; Age + YOS = 85

55/10

Kansas

Kansas Public Employees Retirement System: School Tier 2

Hired on or after July 1, 2009 and before Jan. 1, 2015

65/5; 60/30

55/10

Kansas

Kansas Public Employees Retirement System: School Tier 3 (Cash Balance)

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 2015

65/5; 60/30

55/10

Kentucky

Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 1983 and before July 1, 2002

60/5; Any/27

55/5

Kentucky

Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2002 and before July 1, 2008

60/5; Any/27

55/5

Kentucky

Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2008

60/5; Any/27

55/10

Louisiana

Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana

Hired before July 1, 1999

60/5; Any/20;

Louisiana

Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana

Hired on or after July 1, 1999 and before Jan. 1, 2011

60/5; 55/25; Any/30

Any/20

Louisiana

Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 2011

60/5

Any/20

Maine

Maine Public Employees Retirement System: State and Teacher's Retirement Program

Hired before July 1, 1983

60/1

Any/25

Maine

Maine Public Employees Retirement System: State and Teacher's Retirement Program

Hired on or after July 1, 1983 and before Oct. 1, 1989

62/1

Any/25

Maine

Maine Public Employees Retirement System: State and Teacher's Retirement Program

Hired on or after Oct. 1, 1994 and before July 1, 2006

62/1

Any/25

Maine

Maine Public Employees Retirement System: State and Teacher's Retirement Program

Hired on or after July 1, 2006

65/1

Any/25

Maryland

Maryland State Retirement and Pension System: Teachers' Pension System

Hired on or after July 1, 2011

65/10; Age + YOS = 90;

60/15

Maryland

Maryland State Retirement and Pension System: Teachers' Pension System

Hired between Jan. 1, 1980 and July 30, 2011

65/2; 64/3; 63/4; 62/5; any/30

60/15

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 1979 and before Jan. 1, 1984

55/10; Any/20

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 1984 and before July 1, 1996

55/10; Any/20

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 1996 and before July 1, 2001

55/10; Any/20

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2001 and before April 1, 2012

55/10; Any/20

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System

Hired on or after April 1, 2012

60/10

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Basic

Hired before January 1, 1990 and retired before February 1, 2013

55/30; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Fixed - Option 1

Hired before January 1, 1990, elected MIP plan - 25 YOS on February 1, 2013 (Option 1)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Fixed - Option 2

Hired before January 1, 1990, elected MIP plan - 25 YOS on February 1, 2013 (Option 2)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Fixed - Option 3

Hired before January 1, 1990, elected MIP plan - 25 YOS on February 1, 2013 (Option 3)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Fixed - Option 4

Hired before January 1, 1990, elected MIP plan - 25 YOS on February 1, 2013 (Option 4)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Graded - Option 1

Hired after December 31, 1989 and before July 1, 2008 - 20 YOS on February 1, 2013 (Option 1)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Graded - Option 2

Hired after December 31, 1989 and before July 1, 2008 - 20 YOS on February 1, 2013 (Option 2)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Graded - Option 3

Hired after December 31, 1989 and before July 1, 2008 - 20 YOS on February 1, 2013 (Option 3)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Graded - Option 4

Hired after December 31, 1989 and before July 1, 2008 - 20 YOS on February 1, 2013 (Option 4)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Member Investment Plan (MIP) Plus

Hired after June 30, 2008 and before July 1, 2010 (MIP Plus)

Any/30; 60/5; 60/10

55/15

Michigan

Public School Employees' Retirement System - Pension Plus Plan (PPP)

Hired after June 30, 2010 (Pension Plus Plan)

60/10

55/15

Minnesota

Minnesota Teachers Retirement Association

Hired on or before June 30, 1989

65/3; 62/30; Age + YOS = 90

55/3; Any/30

Minnesota

Minnesota Teachers Retirement Association

Hired after June 30, 1989

66/3

55/3

Mississippi

Mississippi Public Employees' Retirement System

Hired before July 1, 2007

60/4; any/25

Mississippi

Mississippi Public Employees' Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2007 but before July 1, 2011

60/8; any/25

Mississippi

Mississippi Public Employees' Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2011

65/8; any/30

60/8

Missouri

Public School Retirement System of Missouri

Retire on or before July 1, 2013

60/5; any/30; Age + YOS = 80

55/5; any/25

Missouri

Public School Retirement System of Missouri

Retire after July 1, 2013

60/5; any/30; Age + YOS = 80

55/5; any/25

Montana

Montana Teacher's Retirement System (TRS)

60/5; Any/25

50/5

Nebraska

Nebraska School Employees' Retirement System

65/1; age 55 and age + YOS = 85

60/5

Nevada

Nevada Public Employees' Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2001 and before Jan. 1, 2010

65/5; 60/10; Any/30

Any/5

Nevada

Nevada Public Employees' Retirement System

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 2010

65/5; 62/10; Any/30

Any/5

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Retirement System

Hired before Jan. 1, 2002

60/1

50/10; 20 YOS and Age + YOS = 70

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Retirement System

Hired on or after Jan. 1, 2002 and before July 1, 2009

60/1

50/10; 20 YOS and Age + YOS = 70

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2009 and before July 1, 2011

60/1

50/10; 20 YOS and Age + YOS = 70

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Retirement System

Hired on or after July 1, 2011

65/1

60/30

New Jersey