California Teacher Pension Debt Swamps School Budgets

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Tiffany Stelle and Donald Hui, teachers at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, joined a tailgating action over stalled contract talks. An agreement has since been reached. Photo by Penni Gladstone for CALmatters

By Jessica Calefati, CALmatters

California’s public schools have enjoyed a remarkable restoration of funding since the bone-deep cuts they endured during the recession, but many are now facing a grave financial threat as they struggle to protect pensions crucial for teachers’ retirement.

Over the next three years, schools may need to use well over half of all the new money they’re projected to receive to cover their growing pension obligations, leaving little extra for classrooms, state Department of Finance and Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates show. This is true even though the California State Teachers’ Retirement System just beat its investment goals for the second straight year.

Read the complete story at CALmatters.

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