Rep. Steve Johnson today introduced a plan to allow retired teachers to substitute teach without increasing the school’s payments to the state pension system.

Currently, if a retired teacher substitute teaches in a public school, that school must pay the Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL) payment even though that teacher’s pension is unaffected by substitute teaching. This means the school is required to pay more even though their pension liability is unaffected. This requirement disincentivizes school from hiring retired teachers to substitute teach and instead hire people with less experience.

“We have been facing a substitute teacher shortage for several years now in Michigan,” said Johnson, of Wayland. “This is a common-sense solution that would make way for more experienced substitute teachers in our classrooms.”

House Bill 5357 was referred to the House Committee on Education for consideration.

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