AFT Leading the Charge for Access to R+ (Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan)
For decades, AFT Massachusetts and member locals - including the Boston Teachers Union – have helped members navigate their benefits systems, which can be complex. Whether it be through advocacy, education, or resources, the AFT Massachusetts has been on the frontline of an issue impacting thousands of teachers across the Commonwealth – the Massachusetts Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan, or Retirement Plus.
As outlined below, thousands of teachers were unfairly shut out of this enhanced retirement system, forcing them to teach for an additional 3 to 5 years to reach their maximum retirement benefit. While we’ve tried to help many through individual appeals, we need a legislative fix.
After working on this for years, we were thrilled when the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation we had been advocating for at the end of last session. Unfortunately, it was not taken up by the Senate in time.
Our work continues this legislative session. Below, you will find more on the issue, our work, and the legislative changes we’re advocating for.
THE ISSUE
In 2001, the state unveiled a new retirement option for teachers, school nurses, related service providers, and other educators with a deduction rate of 11 percent called the Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan (TARP), also known by many as Retirement Plus (R+). It increases retirement benefits for those who have completed 30 years of service – adding an additional 2 percent for each full year of credible service greater than 24 years to one’s pension benefit (up to maximum of 80 percent).
Those hired after July 1, 2001 were automatically enrolled in the program. Anyone hired before this point, had a six month window to opt-in (January 1 - July 1, 2001).
Unfortunately, the process for current educators when this program was far more complicated. With confusing branding and a far from streamlined process, many educators missed out.
Examples of issues we’ve heard from educators over the years::
- Many teachers never received enrollment forms;
- Teachers transferring from one district to another were unenrolled from the R+ system, without being notified;
- Unable to enroll because the opt-in period was during a maternity leave; and
- With TARP being referred to as R+ or Retirement Plus, many thought they were already enrolled when they saw a 9+2% deduction on their paychecks.
IMPACTS
Due to the conflicting information during the original opt-in period and many administrative/clerical errors, several thousands of educators in communities across Massachusetts must teach an additional three to five years longer just to earn their maximum retirement benefit.
ADVOCACY
In 2018, the Boston Teachers Union convened the R Plus Committee led by Ted Chambers, Chris Leone and Amy Piacitelli with the goal of reopening the availability of TARP to educators hired before July 1, 2001 that were unable to register. The Committee was successful in getting the Boston City Council to pass a home rule petition recognizing the service and commitment of educators employed by the City of Boston while calling for a second opportunity for Boston teachers to enroll. The R+ Committee has continued to meet and grow over the years and now also includes members of AFT MA and the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) as well as a Steering Committee.
The AFT Massachusetts launched a letter campaign calling for A Second Chance to Participate in the Teachers' Alternate Retirement Plan. Approximately 1,600 letters have been sent to members of the Massachusetts Legislature to date.
During the last legislative session (which was between January 2023 and December 2024), several bill were filed to fix this issue by allowing current non-TARP educators to opt into the enhanced TARP retirement benefits that current employees receive, including one that the BTU filed with Rep. Consalvo. These educators would pay the difference between what they’ve paid in deductions since 2001 and what they would have paid if they had opted in at the time plus interest. This “make-up amount” could be paid through a payment plan or in one lump-sum. The legislation would require modest additional state funding of teacher retirement benefits, and would result in substantial savings to local school districts through the retirement of R+ educators and the hiring of new teachers at significantly lower salaries.
We spent a great deal of time educating legislators and the public about the importance of these bills and the thousands of dedicated educators they would support. We also worked with Leader Alice Peisch to combine efforts to get a comprehensive R+ bill passed.
In December 2024, the House passed House Bill 5136, which combined the three bills we were advocating for. Unfortunately, the bill was not taken up by the Senate for passage before the end of the legislative session.
As in past years, the AFT and our locals will be strong advocates for these bills this legislative session. We are also now working with the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents in the new legislative session to get this bill passed. We also continue to work with Representatives Peisch and Consalvo, as well as Senator Miranda to get R+ passed. Below are the details of the two that have been refiled this session that we are following and supporting:
An Act Relative to Benefits for Teachers
- House Docket 3452
- Sponsor: Representatives Alice Peisch and Rob Consalvo
- Bill text and co-sponsors can be found here (co-sponsorship is on-going).
An Act Relative to Teacher Retirement Election
- Senate Docket 2208
- Sponsor: Senator Liz Miranda
- Bill text and co-sponsors can be found here (co-sponsorship is on-going).
**Note - this information will be updated once dockets are provided with bill numbers, which will be the number used to track each bill’s progress.
NEXT STEPS
We will be kicking off our advocacy for this legislative session with a Retirement Plus Lobby Day on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. This will serve as an opportunity for you to speak directly with legislators about the importance of these bills and what they mean for you and other dedicated educators throughout the state. More details will be forthcoming!
Other events/calls to action to keep an eye out for:
- Once the bill receives a bill number and is assigned to a Committee for review, we will want members to send letters to the Committee Members, urging them to host a public hearing on these bills;
- Opportunities to testify publicly at a Committee Hearing on the bill;
- Additional letter writing campaigns to House and Senate leadership if the bills move out of committee to the next step in the legislative process (these letters would be calling for the bill to come to the floor for a vote);
- And more!