NRTA's Pension Round Table

History

Established as an ad hoc group in 1995, the original members of the Pension Round Table were invited to Washington to examine issues surrounding protection of pension funds, and to serve members by educating them about pensions and state and national policies related to pensions.

At the March 2000 meeting, members voted to adopt a structure for the Round Table that would ensure continuity and maintain the high level of professionalism for which the PRT has come to be known. Since then, the Pension Round Table continues to meet on a semi-annual basis.

Mission

The mission of the NRTA Pension Round Table is to monitor trends in public employee retirement issues, including pensions and other benefits, and to develop recommendations regarding research, public policy and advocacy to the National Retired Teachers Association on behalf of its members.

Membership to the PRT

Members are nominated by their state Retired Educator Associations. Nominees must have at least two years experience in any of the following areas: lobbying at the state level on public employee issues; participating as a member of a public employee retirement board or state legislative committee; or conducting research on public pension issues.

Members serve three-year terms, which are staggered to maintain a core group of knowledgeable pension professionals. The president of the Association of State Retired Teacher Executives (ASRTE) also serves on the Round Table during his or her term.

PRT Activities

The members of the Pension Round Table work with NRTA professional staff to develop and prioritize the agenda for each meeting. They meet approximately twice per year, most often in Washington, DC.

Members review legislative actions and statutes that affect retired educators and other recipients of public pensions and recommend areas for research and/or study by the Pension Round Table or by independent researchers retained by NRTA or AARP.

Publications undertaken on the recommendation of the PRT include:

• Check List for Public Employee Retirement Systems
• Fighting Inflation: How Does Your COLA Compare? (updated in 2002)
• Is Your Pension Protected? A Compilation of Constitutional Pension Protections (2000).

For more information about the Pension Round Table, contact:

Nancy Aronson
Tel: (202) 434-2380
Email: naronson@aarp.org.