SB 150

SB 150 by Sen. Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro) seeks to reauthorize Georgia’s educator RtW program until 2034.
Georgia’s current RtW program will end this year if neither bill in this section passes. SB 150 would allow
educators with 25 years of creditable service to return to full-time work, after a 12-month waiting period, and draw
retirement benefits while teaching in qualified positions, including English language arts (as long as the teacher
holds a current dyslexia or reading endorsement approved by the Professional Standards Commission), science,
social studies, special ed, CTAE, and math. During the required 12-month waiting period, teachers can work up to
49%.

Status: SB 150 is in the House Retirement Committee, awaiting consideration.

 

HB 372
HB 372, by Rep. Bethany Ballard (R-Warner Robins), extends the RtW sunset date to 2030. The bill shifts
responsibility for selecting the high-needs subject areas in which educators are eligible to return from Regional
Education Service Agencies (RESAs) to individual school districts. Currently, RESAs select the top three highest need subject areas for districts in their service area.

Status: HB 372 is in the Senate Retirement Committee, awaiting consideration.

 

Action Needed:

• Contact members of the House and Senate Retirement Committees and ask them to request HB 372 (in the Senate) and SB 150 (in the House) be brought up for a committee vote.

•  Ask members of the committees to ensure a compromise that uses parts of both bills is reached before April 2, and assure policymakers that House and Senate members will receive credit and gratitude for reaching it.  

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Educators may use the following talking points to contact legislators with these requests. Use your personal device and email address, not school phones or email addresses, outside of school hours when contacting legislators.

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• Georgia has more than 5,000 certified teaching vacancies, and those vacancies could grow by more than 400 positions if the RtW program is not sustained.

• The current return-to-work (RtW) program reduces turnover in critical roles by allowing retirees to serve students in high-need areas. If the RtW law sunsets this year without legislative action, Georgia school districts will lose this important tool to address teacher shortages in high-needs subject areas.

• While helpful, existing law restricts schools from using RtW to address unique areas of need in each district.

• SB 150 and HB 372 each provide solutions that allow schools to address their needs, including Georgia's current efforts to revamp literacy instruction.