NPPC Highlight
This week, we’re excited to announce we’ve officially expanded to the Buckeye State!
Introducing our newest partner in the fight for retirement security: the Ohio Public Pension Coalition. This coalition will work tirelessly to ensure that Ohio’s public employees can count on the secure retirement they’ve earned through a lifetime of public service.
Visit Ohio’s page to learn more about their work and how to get involved.
State News
Two Southern States, Two Strategies: Supporting Early Educators in Arkansas and Georgia
As early childhood educators across the country face low pay, burnout, and a lack of long-term financial security, states are beginning to take action. This week, we’re spotlighting how Arkansas and Georgia are pursuing two different—but equally important—approaches to support the early education workforce.
In Arkansas, the passage of Act 587 marks a historic victory for early childhood professionals. For the first time, eligible educators working in publicly funded daycare and preschool programs can participate in the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System—a benefit they were previously denied. This means a secure pension, rather than facing retirement with uncertainty.
Jamie Ward, president of Curriculum Concepts, called the new law a “game changer.” She emphasized the stakes: “More than 90% of brain development happens during those first five years of life.” Act 587 not only acknowledges the vital contributions of early educators—it also helps recruit and retain talent in a field that shapes children’s futures. The law was championed by Senator Jane English, Representative Brandon Achor, and backed by the governor.
Meanwhile, in Georgia, a different solution is underway. The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning has launched a $17 million pilot program offering $500 workforce bonuses to childcare teachers and staff. The goal: to boost morale and retention in a sector plagued by high turnover and low compensation.
Though Georgia’s bonus initiative does not offer the long-term security of a pension, it reflects growing awareness that early educators deserve meaningful recognition and support. As states like Arkansas and Georgia experiment with new ways to value these workers, it is hoped that more leaders across the country will follow suit with essential, lasting reforms.
Midwest Educators Sound the Alarm on Retirement Inequities
Teachers in both Nebraska and Minnesota are raising urgent concerns about retirement systems that leave them working longer and harder than their peers in neighboring states—and with fewer options for stepping away with dignity.
In Minnesota, teachers are pushing for changes to a pension system that keeps them on the job longer than their peers in neighboring states. Teachers hired after 1989 must wait until they are 65 to retire without incurring severe penalties, regardless of their years of service. “I could retire with full benefits this year if I were teaching in Wisconsin or Iowa or the Dakotas,” said Wendy Fynboh, a special education teacher with nearly three decades in the classroom. Stories like hers—of educators facing health crises, burnout, or high financial penalties—are driving calls to lower the retirement age and eliminate penalties for early retirement. Last year, hundreds of Minnesota teachers rallied in support of pension improvements. This year, teachers may face a challenging path, as the Minnesota Senate has allocated just $45 million for all public sector pension systems across the state’s public pension plans, which Education Minnesota has framed as “inadequate and unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, in Nebraska, a similar debate is unfolding. Lawmakers considered an amendment to restore age 55 as the minimum retirement age for full benefits—an option previously available to school employees hired before 2018. The proposal, backed by the Nebraska State Education Association, was intended to restore flexibility and fairness. “Our young educators deserve the same flexibility that I and other veteran teachers enjoy,” said NSEA President Tim Royers. Despite support from educators, school administrators, and lawmakers expressed hesitation, prioritizing cost savings over reform. If the current pension bill passes, it could save the state $100 million—but at the continued expense of flexibility for educator retirement.
Both states reveal a troubling pattern: teachers are being asked to give more, for longer, with fewer retirement options. As classrooms grow more demanding and budgets tighten, educators say they need systems that recognize their years of service and the physical and emotional toll of their work.
Be sure to check back next Friday for the latest in the fight for a secure retirement! For now, sign up for NPPC News Clips to receive daily pension news from across the country directly to your inbox.