Ohio Retirement for Teachers Association
Fighting for Ohio's teachers since 1947!
The mission of ORTA is to monitor, advocate for, and protect the pensions and benefits of its members. ORTA demands accountability from the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio andlobbies Ohio's legislators to provide a strong and sustainable retirement system for all Ohio educators, Pre-K through higher education. We rely on membership dues to continue our work.
Politics and Education in Ohio
By Dr. Robin Rayfield
Executive Director
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As you may be aware, ORTA has reached out to each representative and each senator in Ohio’s statehouse on multiple occasions through email and letters to offer information on the struggle active and retired teachers face with our pension. The response from politicians has been disappointing. Very few politicians have acknowledged our correspondence. Those that have responded have offered encouraging comments. Listed below are a few of the responses that were encouraging:
Senator Timken (NE Ohio) is supportive of many of the points ORTA presented. She voiced support for public education. Ms. Timken indicated support for repeal of the amendment that would change the makeup of the STRS board (HB 719).
Representative Lorenz (Central Ohio) also offered strong support of public education and suggested that some of ORTA’s biggest concerns can be addressed in the next session at the statehouse. Mr. Lorenz similarly voiced support for the passage of HB 719 that would protect the current makeup of the STRS board.
A few people that are running for elected positions in the statehouse also reached out to ORTA. These people, new to politics in Ohio asked questions relative to ORTA’s concerns. Most were seeking information and responded with supportive comments. A few of these people signaled that they would be supportive of education, and in turn, retired teachers.
Jeff Givan from the Lima area spoke to the ORTA board pledging support for educators in Ohio.
David Swanson in the Defiance Ohio area called to get information from ORTA on what our concerns were related to STRS and education. Mr. Swanson listened carefully and indicated he appreciated ORTA’s perspective and would stay connected after the election. Our conversation was positive and encouraging.
Sean Brennan from Northeast Ohio responded by email that he is actively supporting HB 719. This bill would stop the legislative takeover of our elected STRS board.
Representative Mathews representing the northeast Cincinnati area responded that he worked to increase the education budget and that the amount passed ensures that schools are fairly funded.
I am disappointed that more elected officials in Ohio did not respond to specific questions or talking points ORTA included in the messages we sent. There were a handful of representatives and senators that thanked me for the information and said that they would keep this information in mind when they considered bills before them for a vote. Not encouraging.
ORTA members often ask us, ‘Who should I vote for?’ Please remember ORTA is a non-political organization. Our hope is to share information that we receive with interested members. ORTA has developed a brief list of questions that each person should ask themselves as they make their way to the polls this November.
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Does this candidate support public education? Did they fight to secure the ‘fair school funding plan in place for Ohio’s public schools? The current budget is far less than the fair funding bill would have provided. $2.75 billion short of the Fair School Funding Plan.
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Does this candidate support spending public tax dollars on private education? The current Ed Choice Voucher Program sends over $1.1 billion tax dollars each year to private schools. Many of the recipients of these vouchers come from wealthy families.
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Does this candidate support HB 719 ensuring a majority of STRS seats be elected by STRS members? Or does this candidate favor having political appointees hold the majority of seats on our pension board?
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Does this candidate support retired educators receiving promised inflation protection?
One place to find out where many of the candidates in a statehouse race stand is Ballotpedia.
For Ohio Senate races the information is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Ohio_State_Senate_elections,_2026
For House races the information is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Ohio_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2026
There is a link by each candidate’s name if they filled out the candidate survey. Several candidates emphasize the importance of education in their survey.
As each of us heads to the polls, we should be informed of the issues that impact us every day. If you are satisfied with the current state of affairs, you should vote accordingly. On the other hand, if you want change, you must vote for change.
Weekly Update: October 17, 2026
This week’s update shares what will go out to select candidates, including those seeking to be our Governor.
The Ohio Retirement for Teachers Association (ORTA) is a 79-year-old organization. One reason ORTA was founded was to give teachers a voice with Ohio’s Legislators and STRS of Ohio Board members. More than half a million teachers depend on the STRS pension system. Millions, if you count their spouses and family members.
While ORTA strongly supports public education, ORTA is well aware that many elected officials support EdChoice. This negatively impacts the STRS pension system. Setting that debate aside, ORTA seeks your response to two important issues. We will share your response with our members.
First issue. Ohio’s retired teachers have no inflation protection they can count on. Since 2017, Ohio’s retired teachers have seen their purchasing power drop by approximately 30%. Most financial experts point to the fact that Ohio Legislators have drastically underfunded the STRS pension system.
Question: Would you be willing to address this problem?
Second issue. Under Ohio law, Ohio public teachers do not pay into Social Security. The public may not know that an Ohio teacher pays a 14% employee contribution rate, more than double the 6.2% Employee Rate other workers pay into Social Security. While Social Security pays an annual compounded COLA, Ohio’s retired teachers can go years without any COLA. They basically have no inflation protection despite their high Employee Contribution rate. What is unfair is that Ohio doesn't tax Social Security benefits, but it does tax retired teachers' benefit checks.
Question: If elected, would you lobby to eliminate Ohio's tax on a retired Ohio teacher's pension check?
As always, ORTA is working for you and your pension. Next week, I will be out of town, so there is no scheduled weekly update.
My best, Dean Dennis, Chair
ORTA Executive Council
"Pension Fight Club refers to the many individuals who have made their voices heard about the excessive amount of public pension money being sent to Wall Street investors and hedge fund managers without proper oversight. Without that oversight, members who contributed significant portions of their salaries toward their retirement for decades are being left financially vulnerable." - Dean Dennis
āPension Fight Club is an investigative documentary by awardwinning filmmaker Doug Orchard that provides a national examination of the systemic financial risks and lack of transparency currently facing public retirement funds, including the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio).ā
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Follow these instructions to watch the movie online.āā
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Click on the Purchase to Watch button.
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Pay $9.00. After you purchase the film, you can watch it as many times as you want to.ā
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Share the link with your colleagues, family, and friends.āāāāāāāāāā
ORTA Pension Defense Fund
Please consider making a donation to the Pension Defense Fund to help pay legal fees and expenses to
defend and protect our pension and retirement benefits from current and future legal attacks.
What's happening at your
local ORTA chapter ?
ORTA's county chapters play an important role in supporting Ohio’s retired educators through pension advocacy, networking opportunities, member benefits, and community involvement.
Some chapters offer classroom grants and student scholarships. Joining your local chapter is a great way to stay informed, connected, and engaged during retirement.
Stand Up for Rudy and His $100,000 Commitment to You
Throughout his career, and as an elected member of the STRS Ohio Retirement Board, Rudy Fichtenbaum fought for the rights of Ohio's educators. As an STRS board member and Chair, he stood on the front lines to protect and restore the retirement benefits teachers have earned through decades of hard work.
Now, Rudy faces a massive personal challenge. Because of his commitment to teachers, he was targeted by a lawsuit from the Ohio attorney general, incurring over $100,000 in legal fees defending his actions as a board member. While ORTA previously provided assistance, they were forced to cease due to an investigation by the Ohio Ethics Commission. Rudy must now finance this battle on his own. We cannot let an educator stand alone after he stood up for us.
Your contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing Rudy's story and his GoFundMe campaign with your network of colleagues and friends. Together, we can ensure that standing up for teachers doesn't result in individual financial ruin.
Join ORTA today! Take advantage of all of our member benefits!
Free AMBA Webinars
ORTA has partnered with AMBA to offer a series of short webinars about important topics like long term care, Medicare, medical transportation, and more. The talks are educational and informative. Join us for the next one, and invite a friend! āā
Each webinar begins with an ORTA update by Dr. Robin Rayfield, Executive Director.āā
ORTA County Chapters
Join your local county chapter of ORTA for social, educational, and volunteer activities, as well as presentations about STRS Ohio and your retirement benefits. Check our list of county chapters for links to chapter websites and Facebook groups. If your county doesn't have an active chapter, contact ORTA about starting one!
AMBA Benefits
ORTA has partnered with Association Member Benefits Advisors, to offer our members exclusive group rates on health, Medicare supplement, life, dental, vision, and professional liability insurance. AMBA focuses on providing customized coverage through top-rated insurance providers, with options often available to members who may not otherwise qualify for group rates. ā
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