DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado lawmakers are looking to fix the staffing shortages in schools by bringing back retirees.
Two bills have passed both the House and Senate, allowing these teachers to get back in the classroom without hurting their retirement benefits. The bills were bipartisan, gaining a lot of support from both chambers.
Now, some school district leaders say they could not be coming at a better time.
“Akron, Sterling and the smaller schools, we’ve really utilized them, particularly in the area of math and science and now bus drivers,” said Bill Wilson, the Brush School District superintendent.
Rural districts said they need more people working in their schools. The state’s Department of Education found there were 135 open positions at the beginning of the last school year in Colorado.
“I think it’s critical that we re-up 22-1101 so we can continue to bring back retired teachers to help serve in areas where just can’t find people to serve,” said Reece Blincoe, Dolores School District superintendent.
HB22-1101 would extend a measure that’s set to expire next July. It allows retirees to come back to work full time without punishing their retirement benefits. Lawmakers said it has been a great help so far.
“That bill has been in effect for five years and we’ve found it to be enormously successful. We’ve had 271 retired professionals that came back and they ended up filling 600 positions,” said bill sponsor Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, D-Jefferson.
That is not all: Another measure passed would temporarily remove the limit on the number of days PERA employees can work as a substitute. Rural school leaders said this bill could really help get experienced teachers in roles left vacant for months.
“You know, in a way, it’s a bittersweet thing: They may have been leaving the occupation, but yet they have an opportunity to come back in and do a few more years,” Blincoe said.
With the bills passing both chambers, they are on their way to Gov. Jared Polis. Supporters are hoping this will get more teachers back to the classroom quickly.
