Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce Retention topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee advances discussion on five-year pilot to rehire retired teachers
Summary
The Senate Committee on Education heard testimony on H.B. 2172, a House bill proposing a five-year pilot allowing the Department of Education to rehire retired teachers into hard-to-staff positions; DOE supports the intent, the Attorney General sought objective criteria in statute, and the Employees Retirement System urged targeted amendments to address tax and pension implications.
Chair Kim opened the hearing and introduced House Bill 2172, House Draft 2, which would establish a five-year pilot authorizing the Department of Education to rehire retired teachers and education officers for hard-to-staff positions.
Sean Bacon, speaking for the Department of Education, said the department "stands on our testimony offering comments on this measure" and supports the bill's intent to address shortages in hard-to-staff classrooms. Bacon cautioned that the department expects to implement administrative processes, annual reporting, and coordination with retirement systems.
Jenny Nakamoto, Deputy Attorney General, told the committee the AG's office submitted suggested language to add "more objective standards and measurable criteria directly into the statute" and offered to work with DOE on amendments. "We provided some suggested language ... and are working with DOE on trying to bridge these," Nakamoto said.
Calvert Young, representing the Employees Retirement System, said his agency's written testimony characterizes the system's position as opposed to the bill as currently drafted, based on external tax counsel advice obtained later in the session. Young said the ERS has amendment language informed by the AG and tax counsel that could help clarify pension and tax effects if the bill proceeds.
Senators asked how "hard-to-staff" vacancies would be defined, how many retirees might be interested, and how the pilot would track student outcomes and staff stability. DOE said it has no firm data on retiree interest beyond current substitute teachers who are retirees, and suggested outreach or surveys could be used to gather participation estimates. Nakamoto and Calvert Young emphasized that the statute should include measurable recruitment-effort standards to satisfy legal and pension requirements.
The committee did not vote on the bill; at the end of the hearing leadership deferred decision-making on the day's measures to a later meeting.
Next steps: the committee requested clarifying amendment language and additional data from DOE and the AG; the bill will return for formal decision-making at a later date.
