Teachers Retirement System of Georgia Board of Trustees Meeting - July 2025

Robert Aycock
Aug 5
2 min read

Updated: Aug 11

The Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS) held its bimonthly Board of Trustees meeting June 23, 2025. Trustees received updates on the work of TRS divisions and adopted the AFY 2026 and FY 2027 budgets. This was the first board meeting for Mary Elizabeth Davis (pictured right) who was appointed July 17. Davis serves as the superintendent for Cherokee County Schools.

The full agenda and all meeting materials can be found by clicking the button below.

July Meeting Agenda

TRS-Related Return-to-Work Bills Move to Actuary

During the July board meeting, TRS Executive Director Buster Evans noted that 470 educators were approved to participate in Georgia’s return-to-work program during FY 2025. Special education is the most frequently cited high-needs subject area. Georgia’s current return-to-work program established by HB 385 (2022) will sunset in 2026 unless action is taken by the Georgia General Assembly.

In June, the House Retirement Committee approved HB 372, by Rep. Bethany Ballard (R-Warner Robins), for fiscal study. This bill would extend the sunset for the return-to-work program while also granting local districts increased flexibility when designating high-needs areas.

Another bill, SB 150, by Sen. Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro), has already been approved for fiscal study. Both HB 372 and SB 150 will be considered by the General Assembly during the 2026 Legislative Session

A recent state audit of the teacher return-to-work program found it beneficial in addressing teacher vacancies and had a minimal financial impact on TRS. Learn more about pending return-to-work legislation, started on p.17 of PAGE’s 2025 Legislative Session Summary.

Fiduciary Net Position & FY 2025 Rate of Return

The TRS net position in May 2024 was $104,959,613,835
The TRS net position in May 2025 was $112,848,480,767
The TRS net position in June 2024 was $106,174,002,183
The TRS net position in June 2025 was $116,690,078,448

TRS reports a 12.22% rate of return for FY 25, reflecting a bounce back from lower returns earlier in the year.

Board Receives Update on TRS Work with Focus on IT

During his report, Evans highlighted and praised the work of multiple TRS divisions and recognized division leadership staff.

A separate presentation later in the meeting outlined various improvements and initiatives the TRS Information Technology Division undertook. Much of this work is aimed at improving cybersecurity.

TRS Recognized for Charitable Giving

TRS was named a Governor's Award recipient for raising over $51,000 in the 2024-2025 Georgia State Charitable Contributions Program (GASCCP). The GASCCP is a charitable program to which state employees can contribute via payroll deductions. More information can be found here.