Virginia Must Keep Commitment To Our Teachers

October 20, 2011

Today, the Virginia Education Association and Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis are holding a press conference to call on the General Assembly to fully fund the state's commitment to the Virginia Retirement System. Last year, Governor McDonnell deferred $135 million payment to the VRS and legislators have underfunded the system for 17 of the past 20 years.

The Progressive Point: Teachers should be paid a fair wage for their work and the decent benefits they need to take care of their families. Virginia's teachers have made a commitment to providing our children with a high-quality education that they honor every day in the classroom. In return, we pay them a sub-average salary and promise modest retirement security after years of service to our community. Its time our leaders honored their commitment to our educators and pay for the benefits they were promised when hired. Investing in our teachers is investing in our children - and in our nation's economic future.

Get the Facts:
The average annual benefit paid to a retired teacher is $20,814.
The General Assembly has funded the VRS below the recommended rate for 17 of the past 20 years.
Virginia's teachers are honoring their commitment to provide our students with a high-quality education. We boast some of the top schools in the country, Virginia students regularly receive top scores on achievement tests, and 96% of Virginia's schools are accredited. (Source: Virginia Education Association)

Tweet it: VA's teachers give our kids the best education. It's time we pay for the benefits they were promised. http://bit.ly/piHifq via @ProgressVA

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