Reform needed for teacher retirement

After pumping nearly $600 million into the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), the Legislature wants to “do pension fixes ‘at some point’” (“Ga. lawmakers say teacher pensions need fixing, just not now,” Politically Georgia, March 4). Great.

A few years ago, the National Council on Teacher Quality gave TRS a grade of D-plus. It met one of seven criteria. Included in the reasons for the poor score was the TRS’s treatment of entry-level teachers.

The stock market is now on a high. If it tanks or takes a substantial hit, funding needs will grow even greater.

Here’s a suggestion: Give existing teachers three months to decide whether to stay in TRS or switch to the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS), a hybrid pension/defined-contribution arrangement more in line with current retirement benefits provided to other state employees. New hires would be placed in the ERS.

ALLEN BUCKLEY, ATLANTA