State Teachers' Retirement Board records

The General Assembly established the teachers' retirement system by creating the Teachers' Retirement Association and it's governing body, the Teachers' Retirement Board. The legislature sought to improve the public school system's efficiency by removing mentally or physically incapacitated teachers. Successive legislatures recognized changing social patterns by amending the system to include survivorship/dependency benefits and to provide cost of living adjustments to retired teachers. The retirement systems' financial strength has become an important component in recruiting new teachers today.

The original system applied to all first time teachers entering public school systems after September 1, 1917. Teachers already employed could join the system voluntarily. The only exceptions were New London and New Haven, which had existing local retirement provisions. New London joined the system in 1919 and the General Assembly added New Haven on September 1, 1947.

From 1917 until 1979, the Teachers Retirement Board consisted of five members: three ex-officio and two elected from the association's membership. The ex-officio members were the Insurance Commissioner, the Commissioner of Education and the Banking Commissioner. In 1980, the board expanded to nine members with the addition of four publicly appointed members. In 1982, the Commissioner on Aging replaced the Banking Commissioner and an elected teacher replaced one publicly appointed member.

In 1991, the membership expanded again to its current membership of twelve. Members include the Insurance Commissioner, the Commissioner on Aging, the Commissioner of Education, three active teachers and two retired teachers elected by the membership to four year terms and four gubernatorial appointees. Members only receive reimbursement for duty-related expenses. In addition to managing the teachers' retirement system, the board's responsibilities include establishing policies, promulgating rules and regulations to carry out relevant provisions of the law, evaluating proposed legislation, reviewing members' appeals of administrative decisions, determining benefit allowances, and maintaining financial records.

See also the State Teachers' Retirement Board Agency History.