S 2537Worker Benefits

Education - Teachers Retirement

Teachers taking unpaid parental or medical leave can now earn a full year of retirement credit if they work 135 days.

Held for study

Population
Affected

Introduced Feb 13, 2026Committee Senate Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the regulations regarding the Teachers’ Retirement System in Rhode Island. Currently, teachers generally receive a year of service credit for retirement only if they serve the full number of required school days in a year. This bill allows a teacher to receive a full year of service credit if they take unpaid parental or medical leave, provided they work at least 135 school days during that year. This change ensures that teachers do not lose retirement standing due to necessary family or medical absences, as long as they meet the minimum attendance threshold.

For younger readers

Teachers earn points toward their retirement savings for every year they work. Usually, they have to work the whole school year to get their point. This new rule says that if a teacher has to take time off because they have a new baby or get sick, they can still earn their full point for the year. To get the point, they just have to make sure they teach for at least 135 days during that school year, even if they missed some days without pay.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Public School TeachersSchool AdministratorsRetirement Board MembersTaxpayersSubstitute Teachers

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Strengthens the social safety net for educators by preventing the loss of long-term retirement benefits due to necessary medical or parental leave, promoting economic security.
Promotes gender equity in the workforce, as women disproportionately take parental leave and are statistically more likely to be penalized by strict service credit requirements.
Improves worker retention and morale by acknowledging the human need for time off to care for oneself or family without severe professional penalty.
Creates a potential unfunded liability for the pension system which could jeopardize the long-term financial health of the fund if not accompanied by increased state contributions.
The 135-day requirement may still exclude those with severe, long-term illnesses or complications from childbirth, failing to protect the most vulnerable workers.
Reinforces a two-tier system where public sector employees receive benefit protections that are largely unavailable to low-income workers in the private sector.

For Conservatives

Supports traditional family values by reducing the professional penalty for mothers and fathers who take time off to care for newborns.
Incentivizes teachers to return to the classroom to meet the 135-day threshold, ensuring that experienced educators remain in the workforce.
Clarifies the specific terms of service credit, theoretically reducing administrative disputes regarding partial years and leave calculations.
Increases the financial burden on the state retirement system by granting full benefits for partial work, essentially serving as a taxpayer-funded handout to public sector unions.
Dilutes the work ethic requirement by awarding a "full year" of credit for working only approximately 75% of the standard school year.
Sets a precedent for relaxing standards in other government contracts, potentially leading to further erosion of fiscal responsibility in public administration.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 4 additions

SECTION 1. Section 16-16-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-16 entitled "Teachers’ Retirement [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows: 16-16-5. Service creditable.

(a) In calculating “service”, “prior service”, or “total service” as defined in § 16-16-1, every teacher shall be given credit for a year of service for each year in which he or she shall have served as a teacher; provided, that any teacher who through illness or leave of absence without pay does not serve a full school year may receive credit for a full school year of service by paying the full actuarial cost as defined in § 36-8-1(9). Credit for leaves of absence shall be limited, in the aggregate, during the total service of a teacher to a period of four (4) years; provided, however, every teacher who had been required to resign for maternity reasons may receive credit for maternity reasons by making contribution to the system upon her return to teaching the amount she would have contributed to the retirement system, with regular interest, based upon her expected compensation but for her absence due to maternity reasons.

(b) The retirement board shall fix and determine the time when and the conditions under which the payments shall be made.

(c) Any teacher who serves or who has served during a school year the number of days that the public schools are required by law to be in session during the year shall be given credit for a year of service for that year. A teacher who takes an unpaid parental or medical leave during the year shall be given credit for a year of service for that school year, provided they serve at least one- hundred thirty-five (135) school days. In determining the number of days served by a substitute teacher the total number of days served in any public school of any city or town in the state may be combined for any one school year. Any teacher shall be entitled to “prior service” credit for service prior to July 1, 1949, provided the teacher shall have been in service during the school year 1949- 1950. The teacher shall be entitled to service credit for any year subsequent to July 1, 1949 in accordance with this chapter, by making contribution to the retirement system of the full actuarial cost for any such service credit.

(d) Any teacher employed in at least a half (½) program including a job share program, or working at least half the number of days that the public schools are required to be in session, shall remain a contributing member and shall receive credit for that part-time service on a proportional basis. The purchase of any remaining program or job share time in which the teacher did not work shall not be permitted.

(e) In computing service or in computing compensation, the retirement board shall credit no more than one year of service on account of all service in one calendar year.

(f) Notwithstanding any other section of law, no member of the retirement system shall be permitted to purchase service credit for any portion of a year for which he or she is already receiving service credit in this retirement system.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.