Georgia CommonsHouse · Engrossed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 372: Teachers Retirement System; certain beneficiaries hired to work in certain areas; provisions
Last action March 25, 2026 · Senate Read Second Time
A Georgia House bill would let retired teachers with 30 years of service return to classrooms in more subject areas, extend the program through 2030, and base staffing shortages on individual school systems instead of regional service agencies.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia currently allows retired teachers with 30 years of service to come back to work full time in a public school's 'area of highest need,' a shortage subject area, through June 30, 2026, without losing their retirement benefits. This bill extends that program through June 30, 2030 and changes how those shortage areas are decided: instead of being tied to a Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA), they would now be determined for each individual public school system. The bill also adds a second path for retired teachers to return: those teaching math, special education, reading, writing, or English language arts could be rehired under this program, with reading and English teachers needing a current dyslexia or reading endorsement from the Professional Standards Commission. It also protects rehired retirees from being let go if their school system's shortage list later changes. The changes only take effect if a state review confirms the program is properly funded under Georgia's Public Retirement Systems Standards Law; otherwise the whole bill is automatically repealed on July 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Extends the deadline for rehiring retired teachers in shortage subject areas from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2030.
- Changes how 'areas of highest need' (subject areas with teacher shortages) are determined, basing them on individual public school systems instead of Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs).
- Adds a new category letting retired teachers with 30 years of service return to teach math, special education, reading, writing, or English language arts, with a dyslexia or reading endorsement required for reading and English teachers.
- Bars schools from firing, forcing the resignation of, or declining to renew a retired teacher hired under this program just because the school system's shortage-area list later changes.
- Makes the whole Act take effect July 1, 2026 only if funding is confirmed under the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law, and automatically repeals it otherwise.
Who it affects
Retired teachers with 30 years of service in the Teachers Retirement System who want to return to full-time classroom teaching, public school systems that hire them, the Department of Education and Professional Standards Commission, which determine shortage areas and endorsements, and the state auditor.
Why it matters
Retired teachers could keep collecting their pensions while returning to fill shortage positions in more subjects, including math, special education, and reading and writing, for four more years. School systems get more local flexibility in identifying shortages, and rehired retirees gain job security if shortage lists change.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 47-3-127.1 to extend the rehire-without-losing-benefits window from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2030.
- Section 1 shifts the basis for 'area of highest need' determinations from a RESA to each individual public school system.
- Section 1 adds a second rehire path for retirees teaching math, special education, reading, writing, or English language arts, requiring a dyslexia or reading endorsement for the latter subjects.
- Section 1 adds a new provision barring termination, resignation, or nonrenewal of a rehired retiree solely because a school system's shortage-area list changes.
- Section 1 extends the annual reporting of shortage areas to the retirement system through July 1, 2029.
- Section 2 makes the Act effective July 1, 2026 only if funding is certified under the Public Retirement Systems Standards Law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 20 of Title 47), otherwise the Act is automatically repealed that same date.
From the bill
“No change in a public school system's areas of highest need shall require the termination, resignation, or nonrenewal of any beneficiary previously hired under subsection (a) of this Code section.”
Discussed in meetings (7)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Retirement Committee, February 10, 2026
From 0:29:15 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a substitute for HB 372 extending through 2030 a program allowing teachers with 30 years of service to return to high-need classrooms after one year of retirement. The sponsor said school systems, rather than regional education agencies, would identify their highest-need areas, and teachers could remain if their subject later left the list. The sponsor reported about 450 current participants statewide, compared with a peak of 635. In response to questions, the sponsor said participants receive teaching salaries without earning additional retirement service and that the bill would not change the current employer contribution rate. A member clarified that school systems pay both retirement contributions, while returning teachers still pay for health coverage. Another member requested study of possible retirement-system costs from future extensions, and the chair agreed. A member cited more than 5,000 vacant certified positions. Witnesses from the Professional Association of Georgia Educators and Georgia School Boards Association supported retaining experienced teachers and local flexibility. The state school superintendent urged timely action for upcoming hiring and contracts. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
House Rules Committee, February 17, 2026
From 0:28:12 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would extend through 2030 a program allowing teachers with 30 years of credited service to return to classrooms in high-need subjects after at least one year of retirement. No questions or decision followed.
House Rules Committee, February 23, 2026
From 1:31:19 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 1119
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 372 on the next day's House calendar without opposition. There was no substantive discussion.
House floor session, February 24, 2026 (legislative day 23)
From 2:18:08 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 1152
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 372 would extend through 2030 a program allowing retired teachers with 30 years of service to return to classrooms in high-need subjects. The sponsor said the program was otherwise due to end in June. The proposal would let individual school districts, rather than regional education agencies, identify their high-need subjects and would require returning reading or English language arts teachers to hold reading and dyslexia certification. Another member supported bringing experienced teachers back to improve classroom staffing. There were no questions. The House adopted the committee substitute without objection and passed the bill 168 to 0.
Senate Retirement Committee, March 10, 2026
From 0:15:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 372 would extend the retired-teacher return-to-work program through 2030, retain its 30-year service requirement and one-year waiting period, let districts identify high-need subjects, and allow returning teachers to stay when their subject leaves that list. The sponsor cited 5,300 teacher vacancies and confirmed that the program covers classroom teachers, not administrators. Members questioned retirement penalties, benefits, costs and incentives to retire early. The sponsor said returning teachers earn no additional retirement credit and receive health coverage like regular teachers. A speaker answering technical questions said employers pay both the 6% employee contribution and the 22.32% employer contribution to keep funding the retirement system. That speaker explained that retirement before age 60 with fewer than 30 service years carries a 7% annual penalty and said the waiting period discourages early retirement. A PAGE witness said more than 500 educators use the program, mostly in science, math and special education. PAGE and Georgia School Boards Association witnesses urged renewal before contract season and compromise with SB 150. One member supported the bill but urged stronger long-term funding for teacher recruitment. Another praised district-level flexibility. The hearing ended without a vote.
Status timeline
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
Show full history (9 actions)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)
- Chris Erwin (R, HD-32)
- Shaw Blackmon (R, HD-146)
- Holt Persinger (R, HD-119)
- Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)
- Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
- Billy Hickman (R, SD-4)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 24, 2026
168 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 6 excused)
Topics
- teacher retirement
- teacher shortages
- education policy
- public schools
- special education