Lawmakers urged to keep benefits from lagging
Retired educators in Williamson County concerned about their pensions keeping pace with rising costs and healthcare are looking at next year’s legislative session for relief.
Attendees during a Sept. 10 meeting of the Williamson County Retired Teachers Association at the Taylor Event Center, 3101 N. Main St., heard from a representative of the Texas Retired Teachers Association outline how the former educators can work together for increased benefits.
According to the TRTA, Texas teachers have seen their pensions fall an average of 30% behind inflation over the years, and most do not receive Social Security because they opted for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
More than half a million retired educators receive a pension from the TRS. The average monthly pension is $2,317 and for most, it is their only source of income.
The TRTA wants to see the 90th Legislature tie increases in benefits to increases in inflation to match rising costs. Only legislators can approve such increases, said Brock Gregg, TRTA associate director.
“It’s important that that system is sound because that’s what’s going to pay for you to keep getting your money for the rest of your life, and all of your kids who are teachers and all the teachers you care about,” Gregg told listeners. “We have to have a strong, secure, forever system, and keep our defined benefits because that is what’s right for public education.” He added that a stipend, a cost-of-living adjustment or other benefit increase is needed before retirees lose another year of purchasing power to inflation.
Larry Yawn, WCRTA legislative contact, said 84% of voters approved a COLA for TRS retirees in 2023. For 70% of retired educators, it was the first COLA they had ever received.
TRTA’s first priority, according to Gregg, is for the Legislature to increase the state’s TRS contributions to balance the teacher raises passed in 2025.
House Bill 2 funded salary increases for teachers but did not allot an increase to the retirement fund to offset the increased retirement liability.
This increased a formula known as “actuarial soundness” from 28 years to 35 years. By state law, the number must be 31 years or less to be eligible for cost-ofliving allowances.
The state would need to increase contributions by 0.4% to restore the fund’s eligibility to make cost of living allowances, officials said.
When lawmakers convene in January, another legislative priority for retired educators is full funding of TRS-Care, the health insurance for TRS members.
More than 217,000 retirees depend on TRS care and for most, there is no other option, Gregg said.
“The people of Texas support public education. The people of Texas support retirees in the education profession. We need to make sure that the Legislature reflects the people of Texas,” Yawn said.
Meanwhile, WCRTA President Nancy Varlien said retired educators are still helping.
“We continue to serve education,” she added. “We volunteer, we provide grants for teachers. As a retired group, we’re active in still promoting education and working to support education while at the same time, making sure our retirement fund is stable.”
For more information on the legislative priorities, visit trta.org/ legislative-priorities. In addition, WCRTA will hold a candidates forum at 10 a.m. Oct. 9 at the Taylor Event Center. The general election is Nov. 3.
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“We have to have a strong, secure, forever system.”
— Brock Gregg, Texas Retired Teachers Association
