June 2017

What Does Bobby Bonilla’s Baseball Contract Have to Do with Teacher Pensions?

June 30, 2017
Max Marchitello
Bobby Bonilla, a former baseball star, gets paid $1.2 million every July 1st. Here's how his story relates to teachers.
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Do Teacher Retirement Plans Make the Grade? Our State-by-State Rankings Report

June 28, 2017
Kirsten Schmitz
All teachers deserve a secure retirement. But under today’s current teacher retirement savings plans, more than half of all new educators won’t qualify for even a minimal pension benefit. We took a state-by-state look at public teacher retirement plans, and the findings were dismal.
Funding
Mobility and Portability
State Pension Plans
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Another Billion for California’s Schools but Don’t Celebrate Yet

June 19, 2017
Max Marchitello
California' legislature recently approved a onetime payment of $1 billion for the state's school districts. However, it won't translate into a real increase in district budgets since those funds are hardly enough to cover burgeoning pension costs.
Funding
Pension Politics
State Pension Plans
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Pension Reform Would Be Good for Michigan Teachers

June 15, 2017
Chad Aldeman
Michigan is about to adopt legislation that would enroll new teachers in a portable defined contribution plan, with a shorter vesting period and more money going toward teacher retirements. That will cost the state a bit more money, but it's a win for teachers.
Alternative Models
Pension Politics
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Teacher Pensions and the New Jersey Governor Race

June 12, 2017
Max Marchitello
New Jersey's public employee pension fund faces a fiscal crisis. The candidates for Governor need to put forth serious plans to address the state's pension woes should they win election. Each candidate's plans have some strong features. However, they best solution would take elements from each.
Alternative Models
Pension Politics
State Pension Plans
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The Pension Pac-Man Keeps Eating Into Teacher Salaries

June 12, 2017
Chad Aldeman
Over the last 15 years, teacher salaries have risen less than inflation, but insurance and retirement costs have risen much faster.
Funding
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Retirement Reality Check: Grading State Teacher Pension Plans

After we created a rubric to grade state teacher retirement plans, we found a mostly depressing picture: States have set up expensive, debt-ridden systems where most teachers fail to qualify for decent retirement benefits.
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