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.
Weekly Update: November 14, 2026
I hope everyone is doing well and that none of you have been impacted this weekend by the US flights being grounded this Friday the 13th.
An estimated 1.5 million passengers were stranded when more than 11,000 US flights were grounded. The reasons given were related to a system that was ignored and expected to run efficiently while needed updates were delayed. Hopefully, our legislators will recognize the impact that poor governance has on people’s lives. STRS retirees are living Friday the 13th every day because of Ohio legislators' poor governance.
Our pension was created in 1919 and began in 1920. As it evolved, it needed to be properly maintained legislatively. This may have been done acceptably for a while, but current legislators have failed Ohio’s retired teachers for decades.
One example is conflicting codes. Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3307.14 requires shortfalls in our pension fund to be remedied by increasing the Employer Contribution rate. However, ORC Section 3307.28 sets a 14% limit on the Employer Contribution rate. The Ohio Legislature has never resolved this structural conflict between the codes. In similar pension plans, legislators have either adopted a variable-rate Employer Contribution model or sufficiently raised their Employer Contribution rate. In Ohio, the 14% cap hasn’t been raised since 1984.
Ohio Legislators have, in effect, grounded Ohio’s retired teachers economically. What’s worse is what legislators did in 2012. In 2012, they passed two pieces of legislation: SB 342 for STRS and SB 343 for OPERS. In SB 343, pre-2012 OPERS retirees were grandfathered and maintained their promised COLA. This did not happen in SB 342. Now our Board realizes it needs Ohio legislators to increase the Employer Contribution rate.
The reality of how the two pieces of legislation have impacted our retirees is dramatic. Assuming a $40,000 starting annual pension, an OPERS retiree would collect $155,000 more over 20 years. We certainly can’t claim to be separate but equal. While all this is disheartening, there is hope. We do have newly elected officials. ORTA will be reaching out to them.
Remember, ORTA is fighting for you. We will not stop telling legislators that we need inflation protection and that their poor governance is grounding us economically.
Dean Dennis, Chair
ORTA Executive Council
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.
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.
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.
"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
âPension 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).â
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Follow these instructions to watch the movie online.ââ
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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.â
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Share the link with your colleagues, family, and friends.ââââââââââ
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! ââ
Each webinar begins with an ORTA update by Dr. Robin Rayfield, Executive Director.ââ
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. â
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