State teachers retirement system

The Vermont State Teachers Retirement System (VSTRS) is the public ... Group C for public school teachers employed within the State of Vermont on or after to ...

am a Secondary High school teacher from the State of California with retirement benefits provided by CalSTRS based on a certificated salary schedule with years of district experience and professional growth. If I decide to change and take a teaching position in a Community College or a University (UC or Cal State in California) or a job in education in a government agency like USAID for example, will I get a full transfer of my retirement benefits within their own retirement system or not?

I am a Secondary High school teacher from the State of California with retirement benefits provided by CalSTRS based on a certificated salary schedule with years of district experience and professional growth. If I decide to change and take a teaching position in a Community College or a University (UC or Cal State in California) or a job in education in a government agency like USAID for example, will I get a full transfer of my retirement benefits within their own retirement system or not?

I already have my BS degree and am thinking of either going back to school for an accelerated BS in nursing (15 months) or a masters degree teacher's certifacation program in grades K-8 (it is 9 months of student teaching and then 15 credits after that to get your masters...). I am confused what I could teach in grades 6-8 without a specific subject, but that's what the program says... I don't have enough credits in one subject (without taking more undergrad classes) to teach a specific subject in high school... I love learning, teaching, and people/kids in general. I also like the perks of working the school schedule, summers off, and retirement... If I were to go the nursing route, it would be a much more difficult college program, then I would need to work for a year or two in a hospital to hone my assessment skills and gain experience, then search for a school nursing job. The process would probably take a lot longer than it would to become a teacher, therefore pushing back retirement (from school systems). Also, I would only have a Bachelors as opposed to a Masters, so I would be paid less. Also, I have done a lot of researching, and it sounds like not many states even put school nurses on a teachers union, so they usually get paid less than teachers and don't get the same benefits. However, school nurses most likely get out when school is over and don't take work home, which I like. I could work in any schools (elemen, middle, HS). If I go the teaching route, I would be certified to become a teacher more quickly than getting registered as a nurse. I would start working sooner, but would have to look for employment as an elementary school teacher. I am not sure how much elementary school teachers typically have to take home, when they get done with their day, or what the working hours they are contracted to do. I also don't know how stressful the job is. I am not sure what would be the best route. Ideally, I'd like to be a school nurse, as I like taking care of children and educating them about health and wellness, but I don't want to put in twice the effort to get there (compared to getting my teaching certifcation) only to find out I'm not even going to get paid as much as a teacher and not get the same retirement benefits, etc. Also, I do not want to do bedside (hospital nursing) my whole life (already work in health care and don't want that life). If I were to teach, I like elementary grades (probably 3-5th grades most), but like getting out earlier like middle school/high school teachers. However, it would seem like middle school and high school teachers would take more work home and have more work in general??? (grading papers, exams, etc...) Any insight would be helpful.... Thank you!!!

My husband is a teacher and has just become fully vested in his retirement program. We are considering moving in a year or two out of state where he will get another teaching job. Therefore he will be in a different pension system. When he retires he will be fully vested in two different states Teacher's pension system. How does that work? Can he collect from both? Do we have to submit taxes in both states?

besides retirement system..is there another loan i can take out?

Extravagant retirement benefits, teachers paid to do nothing, employees pumping up their pensions with overtime... it is bankrupting states. Unions ruined our auto industry. Now, they are destroying our school systems and making it impossible to balance government budgets. Sure, these people are important and deserve a REASONABLE retirement plan. But reasonable is not what they have. They get much more than anyone else. They always trot out the police and fire as examples of why they deserve rich benefits but the reality is those jobs are a small fraction of all those under the public employees umbrella. They negotiate rich benefits for all of them and their numbers are huge. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090622/ap_on_re_us/us_rubber_rooms

I am in my early 30s and I am considering going to graduate school to teach secondary education. I think I would really enjoy being a history teacher. I like working with the middle and high school age group and I am passionate about history. One of the biggest things holding me back is the fear of not being able to plan for retirement. I don't expect to retire "early" or to be wealthy but I would rather not spend my later years in poverty or be working till I drop dead either. I am 33 and it will likely take me about 4 years to work my way through grad school part time, complete student teaching assignments, etc. Therefore in order to teach for the 30 years one needs to be eligible for a decent teacher's retirement plan I would have to teach past the age of 65, which is the standard retirement age. Another issue is that I live in MA currently, but I also may be moving at some point to CA due to family situations. I have read that many states let you "buy credits" towards adding the years you worked in one state on to the total number of years accumulated towards retirement in the other state, but it seems to be prohibitively expensive ($5,000-10,000 to purchase just one year of credit, and what if I had to purchase 5 years or so? It seems like a lot of money to be docked for years that you have already worked, just in a different state. On a teacher's salary, I'm not sure that I will have the thousands of dollars saved up to do that.) The other thing that scares me is that I have worked in the private sector since I was 18, paying into social security. I have read that because of the Windfall Elimination Provision act, teachers in MA and CA are not part of the social security system, so not only would I lose most of my SS benefit but I will likely not get any kind of decent teacher retirement either, as I am coming later in life to the profession. Thoughts? Advice? I think I would really enjoy teaching but I don't want to struggle and live in hardship when I am older. I was thinking maybe I could save some extra money in an IRA or something...but thinking realistically, teachers don't exactly have a lot of extra money lying around. I will already be contributing heavily to the mandatory retirement plan (which I hear has a rather low rate of return compared to traditional 401K and IRA options) and I still need to pay my bills, and for grad school. Again, I'm not "in it for the money." I realize that I will never be wealthy as a teacher and I don't care. I don't make a lot of money now, so it's not like I'm leaving a big fat paycheck to go into education. I love history and I think I would truly enjoy teaching. I just don't want to be dirt poor living on welfare when I am older. Should the retirement problem get in the way of my decision? Should I go with my calling and hope things somehow "work themselves out"...or should I just give up the thought and stay in the private sector with a normal 401k and the promise of a social security that may or may not be there in 30 years? Any advice from career changers to teaching or other teachers would be welcome. I know I'm young to be so worried about retirement but it seems so scary!

Please help me answer these questions: 1) Should Social Security be privatized? Would you support a partial privatization? How would you go about investing your private share for your retirement? What is the drawback of letting individuals bear all the risk in their retirement? Is this a safe plan for the future of Social Security? 2) We often say that education is the key to improving ones chances in life, but is our educational system really equal? Compare, for example, schools in different states where you or your friends have lived. Then compare schools in the suburbs with schools in the inner cities. Why is there such a variation? Only about one-third of all high school math and science teachers majored in math or science in college. Where do you think those one-third teach? Who is teaching math and science in the other schools? What does that say about equal educational opportunities? Would you support a voucher system that would allow students to go to any school they wanted to? 10 points for best answer!!!!

I am a high school teacher currently in the state of Michigan (in my 6th year of teaching). My husband and I are moving to Texas. Will they accept my years of service from Michigan towards my retirement of will I have to start all over and do a total of 30 years in Texas to collect pension??? Any specific details you can provide about Texas teacher retirement system? I've dwindled around on the website a bit but haven't really found what I'm looking for,

This is where i stand on issues. 1) To be the Candidate of National security: a) Victory in Iraq b) Fully support NSA, Patriot act, tough interrogations, keeping Gitmo open c) A Candidate that pledges to NOT demean our military while they are fighting for their Country. eg Harry Reid: "the surge has failed", "the war is lost" d) Candidate that promises to ensure that our veterans can live out their lives in dignity. 2) The Candidate who pledges to oppose Appeasement: a) The Candidate will oppose any and all efforts to negotiate with dictators of the world in places like Iran, Syria, N.Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela without "pre-conditions" 3) The Candidate Pledges to support Tax CUTS, and fiscal responsibility: a) The American people are NOT under taxed, Government Spends too much b) The Candidate who Pledges to ELIMINATE and VOTE AGAINST ALL Earmarks c) The Candidate pledges to BALANCE the budget 4) The Candidate Pledges to be a supporter of "Energy Independence" a) supports Immediate drilling in Anwar and the 48 states b) Building new refineries c) Begin building and using Nuclear Facilities d) expand coal mining e) realistic steward of the environment While simultaneously working with private industry to develop the new energy technologies for the future, with the goal being that America becomes completely energy independent within the next 15 years. 5) The Candidate pledges to secure our borders completely within 12 months: a) build all necessary fences b) use all available technology to help and support agents at the border c) train and hire agents as needed 6) Healthcare: The Candidate will look for Free-Market solutions to the problems facing the Healthcare industry, and will vigorously oppose any efforts to "nationalize healthcare". a) The Candidate will fight for Individual health savings accounts, that includes "catastrophic insurance" for every American, so people can control their own healthcare choices. 7) Education: a) The Candidate pledges to "save" American children from the failing educational system b) The Candidate will fight to break the unholy alliance of the Democratic party and teachers unions, which at best has institutionalized mediocrity, and has failed children across the country c) fight for "CHOICE" in education and let parents decide d) fight for vouchers for parents 8) Social Security and Medicare: a) The Candidate will "save" social security and medicare from bankruptcy. b) Options will include "private retirement" funds so people can "control" their own destiny. 9) Judges a) The Candidate vows to support ONLY judges who recognize that their job is to interpret the Constitution, and NOT legislate from the bench. 10) American Dream: The Candidate accepts as their duty and responsibility to educate, inform, and remind people that with the blessings of Freedom comes a Great responsibility. That Government's primary goal is to preserve, protect and defend our God given gift of freedom. Would you vote for me? I am anti abortion.

What do you mean by, """If you work five years or ten years, according to state requirements, then you can retire at age ~65. So you have been a member of the retirement system many years. "" Does it mean if you worked 5 or 10 years you can receive a pension but you put be of age to do so??? Do I really have to wait that long "Until 65" to receive Pension Monthly income.

lack the capacity to care about their job? I am sorry but I feel many public school teachers are in the job for the retirement and other benefits of a state employee. As a former student that went through the public school system, many teachers I noticed seemed to be very snobby and got all mad when students raised their hands to ask questions. No wonder so many students in my local area drop out of high school. No positive people to encourage them and thats really sad.

I am a 28, white, bored gay male in Denver CO. I teach middle school art and thought teaching would be fun. Because of budget cuts, Im not sure I have a job next fall, and finding a teaching job in Denver will be really hard (there will be a lot of unemployed teachers here). I grew up here in Denver, went to college nearby, and have family here. It is here I have connections and with the state government I have a retirement fund. However, there is a part of me that wants to leave teaching, move to NYC and try to go into interior design. I like teaching, but feel like my my own artistic-ness isn't being challenged and am disillusioned by the bureaucracy of the educational system. and I really love design, I feel like I know Denver too well and that there nothing new too me here. However, part of me loves teaching and being close to my family. Teaching will be a lot easier with a few more years experience. I deep down wonder if the guy who will be my life partner is out there in NYC. or at least not in Denver. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Is it worth it to be in a pension plan? I am apart of the Teacher Retirement System. I make 33,000/ year right now, but I have the earning potential of 65,000 come retirement time. Should I move on and work for corporate America or stay? Pension plans continue to pay per month until you die. Is it worth it to stay with the pension plan? What is your guess that in 35 years the thousands of people that took part in a teacher retirement system in every state will actually get enough to live off of?

Why can’t some of the parents who are unhappy about how bad schools are work together to help make changes? We as teachers truly cannot change what is going on. To speak up against standardized testing, NCLB and horrific discipline problems as a teacher gets us blackballed in a school district and it can be nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find a job. Instead of working to improve things, parents are pulling their kids out of public schools and sending them to private schools. But if all those parents would GET INVOLVED and help make changes, such a difference could be made! The emphasis on standardized tests is just one of the many problems with public schools today. We push so hard just to pass those tests that we end up teaching to the test, and that’s about it. We don’t even get a chance to teach the kids to THINK anymore. If your class doesn’t do well on those standardized tests, you are assumed to be a poor teacher and fired. It’s getting harder and harder to find good teachers. They’re either burned out, holding out till retirement or newbies who are just jumping when they’re told to jump (b/c they are threatened with losing their job). I LOVE teaching, the little bit of time I get to teach, but it has gotten soo soo political. It’s all about standardized tests and being P.C., the pay stinks (many teachers I know need a second job in order to make ends meet). In my state, they are offering all these incentives to encourage people to go into teaching. Yet, they can’t KEEP teachers because they are treated so poorly and get so little reward anymore. Basically, teachers are running out of the system in droves…and no one can blame them. We work 60 hours a week for less than a garbage man makes, we take our work home with us almost every night, we spend what little money we have on supplies for students because parents and/or schools don’t provide it for them, and to top it all of, the students are now allowed to get away with behaving like juvenile delinquents. In all, parents are the only ones who can change things…Why doesn’t anyone stand up? Gee, gloves off…First of all, you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. First of all…over funded schools? I wish I lived in your neck of the woods! I have yet to see anything like that. And I never EVER said I “feel threatened by the superior education at parent can provide at home.” I’m not exactly sure where you picked that one up. I CAN provide a very high quality education. I am licensed and educated to do EXACTLY that, often more so and better than than private school teachers (who are NOT required to have a teaching degree). (And home school was never mentioned in my question--pay attention). The problem I am speaking about is of the parents who refuse to help out or get involved, and are sending their kids to public school and practically using it as a daycare service. We are doing a disservice to our country and its future because all the good, hard working kids (and parents) are run off by the populations of thugs that continue to abound in schools. Because the government has decided that we, as teachers, cannot discipline students AT ALL, the problem gets worse each year. While I do understand the desire to pull your child out if you are unhappy with the school, my wish is simply that people would pay attention to what is actually going on. You seemed to miss my other huge point…teachers are FIRED if we complain or stand up against the rules. It’s like a communist regime. Just wait…you say it has nothing to do with you. These kids are the one’s that will be running your country one day.

1: Neither the American Indians nor the pioneers knew how to use more than a few of the .... around them. religious artifacts natural resources none of the above 2: The early American pioneers did not know what .... was and burned it for fun. gasoline oil none of the above 3: Today we enjoy thousands of conveniences because of the advance of ..... science and technology the juducial system none of the above 4: For hundreds of years, formal education often was available only to those children whose parents could afford to hire a ..... minister teacher none of the above 5: was the first colony to provide education through public effort. California Massachusetts none of the above 6: In Virginia, Governor Berkeley once said he thanked God there were no .... schools in his colony. religious free none of the above 7: Gradually, the belief grew that the .... should provide free education. churches states none of the above 8: The cost of .... education is a major item in the educational program of each state. public everyday none of the above 9: Education is an important factor in earning a ..... living retirement package none of the above 10: Today there are very few .... occupations. natural non-educated/skilled none of the above 11: We live longer today because physicians have learned through education how to fight ..... disease public apathy none of the above 12: Charles Hall's discovery of a cheap process for extracting aluminum from ore was possible because he had acquired, through ...., all that was known about aluminum. trial and error education none of the above 13: Educated persons are better fitted to make .... on public questions and to act wisely. decisions money none of the above 14: Since schools are important for the public welfare and the .... as a whole, it is necessary to have the best schools the people can afford. standard of living tax base none of the above 15: So important is the board of education that only men and women of the highest .... should be elected to it. political connections character and ability none of the above 16: The good citizen should persuade capable persons interested in public service to become candidates for positions on the .... board. education council none of the above

My wife is a veteran teacher at 60 years old who would like to retire. She has 17 years in private schools under the social security system. She also has 16 years in a state retirement system while teaching in public schools. In Kentucky, she is only allowed to retire from one system or the other, yet she earned both. This just doesn't seem fair - has anyone found a way to beat this? She would only get about 30% of her social security if she retires from her state pension. If she goes to social security, she will have to wait until 65 - too old to be teaching in 4th grade.

Ron Paul-Cesar Millan: My Dream Ticket by Linda Schrock Taylor by Linda Schrock Taylor DIGG THIS I realize that Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, not having been born in the United States, cannot actually run for VP. But please, do let me dream. Ron Paul should be the presidential choice of every person who loves the United States of America; every person who respects the Constitution, the Republic, the Promises, and the Philosophies upon which this nation was founded; of every person who wants an economically, educationally, Freedom-secured future for themselves and their children. There is no other who can hold a candle to Ron Paul, who is the most intelligent, principled, disciplined man I have ever met. There is no other I would send in his stead. Dr. Ron Paul is a true Statesman; most certainly not a 'politician'. Cesar Millan is my choice for Vice President because---if any nation on Earth is out-of-control; living in a dangerous 'red zone'; gravely in need of Discipline, Boundaries and Limitations, it is today's United States of America. The Constitution must again become the "Leader of the Pack" and everyone --- everyone --- must recognize and respect its Authority. Cesar, a man with astute insights into the behaviors of both creatures and humans; a teacher recognized as a proof-in-the-pudding authority on instilling Discipline, Boundaries, and Limitations, is the individual whose services are desperately needed in these most desperate of dog-eat-dog times. Consider the Presidency: How can the 'leader' of a republic expect or demand any respect from a citizenry that he has effectively gagged, discounted, abused, and minimalized? As we all have watched in horror, this (not)leader further destroys the honor of the office, and corrupts the Rights, Freedoms, and Input of the populace. He is out-of-control with his kingly dictates, demands, and direct orders. He is no leader-of-the-pack and only his blind and faithful few find anything about him, his decisions, about his actions, to be worthy of respect. He is not a leader; he is a bully. He is running off-collar and out-of-control. He is the 'red zone' and so very dangerous to the survival of our pack; of our America. Ron and Caesar, to the rescue! The Supreme Court clearly demonstrates a lack of Discipline, Boundaries and Limitations, as it methodically removes all Discipline, Boundaries and Limitations from a hedonistic, mis-educated, ethically-challenged populace. The Supremes write legislation (not their job!); dictate cultural trends (pushing the culture ever closer to Sodom, Gomorrah and a similar meltdown); give workers' retirement money to children and others who have never worked (Thieves!); condone the slaughter of the unborn (the future taxpayers); and much, too much, more. The Supremes pave the way for Evil while abdicating their constitutionally defined roles. This current system of Checks and Balances has checked our Rights, and put our nation totally out of balance--ethically and economically. The Supreme Court Disease is rapidly spreading, claiming millions of victims. We need Dr. Paul to effect a cure and stem the tide. Congress is completely out of control; a crazed pack, feeding in a frenzy upon the weaker members of the Republic (The taxpayers). There is more to be said about Congress, and endless examples to be sited, but frankly, I do not have the stomach for it. It is incomprehensible that so many citizens have been satisfied to shrug their shoulders and do nothing. America needs the Wisdom and the Discipline of Ron Paul and Cesar Millan. The Department of Education is worse than worthless. It is dangerous. It exists in a red zone of its own creation, The Department serves to destroy hope, potential, skills, scholarship, thought, inventiveness, national literacy, minds...and the lives of the American people. Unfortunately, this animal is beyond help and must be 'put down'. We must move swiftly to euthanize this creature; to make, and keep, America safe. The People must again be free to establish and live in a just and humane society, made up of just, rational, educated, thinking adults acting as leaders should; teaching young people to follow in great footsteps. To refer to the death of the Department of Education as "a mercy killing" would be an understatement of unbelievable proportions. It is imperative that we act to protect the children of America; to treat those who have already been harmed and molested; to insure that never again will a child be 'bitten' by such a destructive, poisonous, inhumane beast. State governments...no longer understand, let alone demand and defend, States' Rights. The individual states allow federal looters (beginning with the current president), as well as their state officials, to rape, rob, abuse, threaten, misinform, under educate, and otherwise harm citizens. When states lack the will and the guts to protect their citizens from beasts on a rampage, those states broadca

I used to teach in California, but have lived in Texas for about 4 years now. Last year, I decided to withdraw my retirement savings from the California Teachers' Retirement System. They deducted federal tax but did not deduct state tax because they said they didn't have to since I live in a state that does not have a state tax. Anyway, my tax person in Texas swears that I have to pay state taxes in California (which does have a state tax) because the money was coming from there. Anyone have to deal with this before?

I am a retired state school counselor & teacher. I receive a nice retirement check from my states retirement system (but it is not enought...for me) while I am raising 2 grandchildren now. We gladly took them in about 10 years ago. Before I entered into education I had earned "40" quarters toward my SS contribution like all of us do, except in my state the SS Admin. will not let me receive my SS because I receive income from my teacher retirement. Is this right? Can they do that to me? I am crushed because I have loved my choise of employment all my life in serving my parents and children who were entrusted to me. If they are correct and I "WILL NOT" be paid my due SS can I get my contribution back form the 40 quarters that I did contribute to it? If not, have I been a robbery victim and a slave to the SS system, a slave to "and in" the United States? Would I have "any" chance to win a legal case if I had to persue it...I don't want to do this (time) & the gov. doesn't need the press.