NJ lawmakers seek retired teachers to fill in amid staffing shortage due to COVID-19

New Jersey lawmakers on Monday advanced an assembly bill introduced in May 2021 that would allow retired teachers to work amid staffing shortages.

The Assembly Education Committee advanced the bill, A5576, allowing those “retired from the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to return to work full time with a board of education in a position of critical need.” Retirees would be able to collect pensions and salaries simultaneously.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented our schools with many challenges, including significant teacher and staff shortages in districts throughout New Jersey. We cannot allow these gaps in staffing to stand in the way of our students receiving the high-quality education our state is known for,” Democratic Assemblywomen Mila Jasey of Essex and Pamela Lampitt of Burlington said in a Jan. 4 joint statement.

.@MilaJasey & @pamlampitt1 Bill to Address Teacher Shortages Passes Assembly Committee: https://t.co/lIU4z9xdE9 pic.twitter.com/ccYd3CWK1z

— NJ Assembly Democrats (@njassemblydems) January 4, 2022

“We must do everything in our power to ensure that our schools are staffed with qualified educators. With this bill we can put our students first by allowing retired teachers and staff members to return to our classrooms and schools without reenrolling in the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund.”- READ MORE