Since 2001, the Texas legislature has made it progressively more difficult for retired teachers to return to work. School districts who employ retired educators may have to pay penalties in the range of 15 to 17 percent when they hire retired teachers. The aging Baby Boomer generation will result in ever-increasing numbers of teachers reaching retirement age.
Yet, school districts should always exercise all options to provide the best instructional program for students, and this includes using master teachers who have retired.
The consensus opinion is that using a third party employer is the best way for a district to utilize retired teachers. JR3 Education Associates’ employees are “at will” employees of JR3 and JR3 Education Associates is an “at will” contractor to the district.
Districts should ask JR3 to indemnify the district, which JR3 is willing to do if the district follows the provisions of the contract.
Section 22.051 of the Texas Education Code provides JR3 Education Associates’ employees with the same immunities as district employees.
With JR3, the retired master teachers can return to the classroom, providing superior instruction at reasonable cost, while the district realizes up to 17 percent savings.
