New Bill Could Remove Barriers For Retired Teachers To Help Schools

Senator Ken Yager hoping to help with teacher and substitute shortage through a bill that will allow educators or staff that have retired to be re-employed without losing retirement benefits.

Yager said that many retirees are already helping their local school districts and want to continue to help, but are being held back by current requirements.

“Our schools are having a hard time finding teachers, substitute teachers, and school bus drivers,” Yager said. “Right now if you’ve retired from teaching, you can only come back for I believe, 120 days. And this will allow you to come back and work for a year.”

Yager said that during the reemployment, retirement benefits would be reduced to 70 percent of the retirement allowance the member is otherwise entitled to receive, and the existing salary cap would be removed.

Yager said that if signed by the governor, the bill would be in effect from July 1, 2022, to June 30th, 2025.