Provides for members of certain retirement systems to obtain credit for up to 5 years service rendered as a teacher in a private elementary or secondary school or a private college in New York state

Title of bill

An act to authorize members of the New York state and New York city teachers' retirement systems and the New York state and local employees' retirement system to claim retirement credit for certain private school teaching service

Purpose

To allow members of the New York City and New York State Teachers' Retirement Systems and certain members of the New York State Employees' Retirement System to claim five years of retirement credit for certain private school teaching service for the purpose of determining pension amounts.

Summary of provisions

This bill permits members of the New York City and New York State Teachers' Retirement System and certain members of the New York State Employees' Retirement System to claim up to five (5) years of retirement credit for non-public school teaching service within New York State. Such credit would be used only for determining the amount of pension. Such private school credit would not be used for purposes of qualifying for retirement or for calculation of final average salary.

Justification

Tier I members of the New York State Teachers' Retirement System have been allowed for many years to claim out-of-state public school teaching service. Little distinction can be made between teaching in a public school in another state and teaching in a non-public school in New York State. It is well recognized that all types of experience, which a person acquires, are beneficial to teaching effectiveness. Knowledge gained through teaching in non-public schools provides a broad background of experience and should be recognized by allowing a teacher to obtain retirement credit for non-public teaching experience. In addition, there has recently been a growing shortage of certified teachers in specific subject areas such as math and science. In particular, low performing schools have historically had difficulty attracting qualified teachers.

The enactment of this bill would help to expand the pool of qualified teachers and eliminate the employment disincentives that exist under current law by allowing members of the New York State and the New York City Teachers' Retirement Systems to claim retirement credit for up to five years of non-public school teaching service rendered within New York State.

Legislative history

2008 - S. 5134b/A. 6793b - Civil Service and Pensions Committee/Governmental Employees Committee.

Fiscal implications

See fiscal note.

Effective date

This act shall take effect June 30, 2016, except that any rule or regulation necessary for the timely implementation of the provisions of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be promulgated on or before such date.