During this year’s Retired Teachers Week, the California Retired Teachers Association proudly looks back to January, when the organization achieved its biggest legislative victory when the Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law.
According to a local press release, CalRTA helped spearhead this successful national campaign and was the only West Coast organization working directly with the bill authors to secure this historic change. This landmark achievement repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), policies that had unfairly reduced the earned benefits of retired educators and other public servants for decades.
The first full week in November, the organization also honors the tremendous contributions that retired educators continue to make in their communities. Retired teachers have not only spent decades shaping future generations, but they continue to give back long after their classroom careers have ended.
Statewide, CalRTA members donated more than $42 million worth of volunteer time to local communities, enriching lives in schools, libraries, community centers, and countless organizations.
According to Pensionomics 2025 from the National Institute on Retirement Security, in 2022, California saw $89.8 billion in total economic benefit from pension benefits paid out by state and local pension plans. Because retirees spend their benefit checks locally, their spending ripples through the economy as one person’s spending becomes another person’s income.
The positive economic impact of California pensions is impressive by any standard:
- $89.8 billion in total economic output generated by retirees’ spending
- 421,219 jobs paying $29.6 billion in wages and salaries supported by retirees’ spending
- $13.2 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues generated by retirees and their spending in California
- $42+ million worth of donated time from retired educators
CalRTA members are part of this powerful pool of retirees whose pension checks help stimulate California’s economy. Additionally, members contributed over $750,000 in grants, scholarships, and donations last year.
CalRTA highlights these contributions by celebrating Retired Teachers Week, the first week of each November. This year’s event, Nov. 3 to 9, marks the 27th annual celebration honoring retired educators across the state.
“Our organization’s greatest strength is our members,” said Mark Allen, CalRTA State president. “Their tireless advocacy helped deliver the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, and their continued service in local communities demonstrates the enduring value of retired educators. Together, we are ensuring retirement security for today’s retirees and future generations.”
