Teachers Advocate for Stronger, More Equitable Retirement for Some of the Commonwealth’s Longest-Serving Educators (February 18, 2025)
Urge legislators to support bills to address flawed roll-out of teacher retirement plan
Teachers from public school districts across Massachusetts hosted an advocacy day on Beacon Hill in support of two pieces of legislation that seek to give some of the state’s longest serving educators a more equitable and stronger retirement by addressing the issues caused by the state’s incredibly flawed roll-out of the Massachusetts Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan (TARP) in 2001.
TARP, also known as RetirementPlus (R+), allows teachers to retire a little earlier if they increase the amount they contribute to their pension to 11% of their salary. The state’s roll-out of the program over 20 years ago was not streamlined, with issues plaguing it from the beginning.
“This is about providing a second chance to thousands of teachers who were shut out of enrolling in RetirementPlus through no fault of their own. The state has already provided this opportunity to teachers hired after July 2001, acknowledging the issues around the original roll-out,” said American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. “The teachers still being left out are some of our state’s longest-serving educators - having dedicated at least 24 years of their lives to educating the kids of the Commonwealth. We hope to see a quick passage of these important fixes this session to provide our teachers with the equitable and secure retirement they’ve earned.”
“Boston teachers were disproportionately impacted by the state’s flawed roll-out of this plan over twenty years ago and we have been working with our fellow educators and allies for years to bring attention to this issue and the need for a legislative fix,” said Boston Teachers Union President Erik Berg. “It’s only fair that these teachers are given a real opportunity - like everyone else - to opt-into Retirement Plus. The errors made in the management of the program have penalized our dedicated teachers for far too long.”
Teachers hired before July 1, 2001 had a six-month window to enroll. Unfortunately, because of the errors and misinformation being spread, thousands of teachers ended up being left out. Some were led to believe they had been enrolled, only to later learn that they had not been. Other teachers never received an enrollment form. Many were told in error that if they were currently contributing 11% of their salary toward their pension, they were therefore enrolled in RetirementPlus. Others had the full 11% deducted from their pay only to later be told that they had been overpaying or were unenrolled without being notified.
“When I give an assessment and a number of students don’t perform well, I know it’s a reflection of something I missed in my instruction. It’s a humbling truth for any teacher to admit. When we miss the mark, we do it over,” said Julia Norman, a teacher in the Waltham Public Schools, who was told she was automatically enrolled in the program when she returned to the Waltham Public Schools after a short-lived layoff due to a reduction in force. “The same needs to happen with Retirement Plus. Instead of the state fixing it, thousands of teachers have paid the price. I was led to believe that I had made the mistake—that I was the one who somehow failed. But, I am not alone. We’re all in this together and it wasn’t our fault.”
An Act relative to benefits for teachers and An Act relative to teacher retirement election would provide a one-time opportunity for teachers hired before July 1, 2001 not currently enrolled to enroll in RetirementPlus. Those choosing to enroll would pay the difference between what they have 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 and would be paid to their retirement system prior to retirement.
HD.3452 and SD.2208 are the logical next step to build upon legislation passed in 2022, which allowed a one-time opportunity for teachers hired on or after July 1, 2001 not already enrolled in the program to enroll in RetirementPlus. Additionally, all teachers are now automatically enrolled in RetirementPlus thanks to the 2022 law.
In a letter delivered to members of the Legislature, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, the Boston Teachers Union, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association reiterated their commitment on behalf of their educators to ensure this final fix to the flawed roll-out of RetirementPlus is addressed this session. The three unions have been strong, vocal advocates for this fix on Beacon Hill. The House passed a version of the bill in December 2024. Unfortunately, it was not brought to the Senate floor for a vote before the end of the legislative session.