TRTA Responds to Gubernatorial Appointment for State Pension Review Board

Click here to email Gov. Greg Abbott. Click here to email your senator. Near the end of 2015, the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) released an Inside Line article discussing the recent appointment by Governor Greg Abbott of anti-public pension critic Josh McGee as Chairman of the State Pension Review Board. As Vice-President of the […]

Season’s Greetings From TRTA

Dear TRTA Members and Supporters, This is the time of year to reflect and be appreciative of those who have been a special part of our lives! The TRTA board of directors, staff and I are so very much thankful for the time you spend volunteering for the Texas Retired Teachers Association. Your work and […]

The Importance of Foundation Month

It’s Foundation Month! In my mind, I believe it’s been Foundation Month in the great state of Texas ever since the first school opened before the Republic of Texas was established. Teachers are the foundation for everything good that happens in our state. We know that teachers make things happen. Our patience, love, knowledge, dedication […]

Interim Charges Released for 84th Texas Legislature

This month, interim charges were released for the 84th Texas Legislature by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus. As the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) mentioned in an Inside Line article last week, Texas public education retirees are on the minds of our state legislators right now, and much will be accomplished […]

TRTF’s Student Scholarships Paving the Way for Future Educators

The first scholarship Kelsey Faykus ever received was from the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF). A first-year student at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Faykus is studying to become a high school biology teacher. Last spring, TRTF provided Faykus with a $500 student scholarship to help her pursue her dreams. Faykus enters Southwestern University having been […]

TRS Releases Pension Fund Valuation, Reports on Status of TRS-Care

The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) released its annual valuation of the pension trust fund yesterday. The nation’s sixth largest pension fund presently has $128.5 billion held in trust for over 350,000 Texas public education retirees and 1,000,000 pre-retirees. This figure is down from $132.7 billion August 2014. Additionally, TRS reported that the fund […]

Texas Retired Teachers Foundation’s “A Helping Hand” Program in Action

Jane Pickett’s eyes come alive when she’s talking about jump rope. Her voice steadies and her confidence soars as she explains the techniques and intricacies involved in a sport that she coached for 25 years. Since she was four years old, Pickett knew that she wanted to teach physical education, and after she grew up, […]

TRTF Classroom Assistance Grants Enabling Educators’ Successes

As each class ends, Teresa Carroll has her students form a line. She gives each child a hug, wishes them well and sends them on their way. Carroll doesn’t get to see her students as often as she would like or for as long as she would like, but she makes the best of her […]

TRTA Members Push Congress to Act on Medicare B Premium Hike

Phone calls from Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) members have pushed Congress towards a Medicare Part B compromise. As we reported two weeks ago, Medicare Part B premiums are set to increase next year for retirees whose premiums are not automatically deducted from their Social Security benefit payments. The originally proposed premium increase would affect […]