HB 372: Teachers Retirement System; certain beneficiaries hired to work in certain areas; provisions

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is properly funded under Georgia's Public Retirement Systems Standards Law; otherwise the whole bill is automatically repealed on July 1, 2026.

• 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.

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.

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.

• 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.

1. 2026-03-25Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
2. 2026-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
3. 2026-02-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2026-02-24House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-02-24House Third Readers (House)
6. 2026-02-12House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
7. 2025-02-12House Second Readers (House)
8. 2025-02-11House First Readers (House)

• Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)Primary sponsor
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)
• Shaw Blackmon (R, HD-146)
• Holt Persinger (R, HD-119)
• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)
• Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 24, 2026

   168 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #543

• teacher retirement
• teacher shortages
• education policy
• public schools
• special education