Houston, TX – More than 1100 retired educators met in Houston last week at the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) 59th annual convention. Attendees from all over Texas joined with local members of the Calhoun Co. Retired Teachers Association. Attending from Calhoun Co. were: Joanne Mueller and Linda Brush. These public education retirees met to discuss the future of their health care and pension issues, among other things.

“We’re in critical time between legislative sessions,” said TRTA President Herbert Norris. “Public education retirees are concerned about the growing misinformation campaign against the Teacher Retirement System’s (TRS) defined benefit pension plan. We want to keep what we have and promote the great value our teacher retirement system offers to the entire state. In addition, public education retirees haven’t received a permanent pension increase in a decade, and we are concerned about the more immediate issues with funding for the TRS-Care health insurance program. There is much for us to discuss before the 2013 legislative session.”

The convention, entitled “Countdown to the Future,” offered retired public educators an opportunity to learn about TRTA’s efforts to participate in two interim studies being conducted by TRS about their retirement and health insurance plans. Sessions this year also focused on topics such as community engagement, leadership training, healthy aging and investment management.

Members also learned about plans to strengthen TRTA’s grassroots advocacy efforts. Joanne Mueller, Calhoun Co. RTA president-elect stated: ”I was reminded how important it is that we contact our legislators now and not wait until the legislative session begins. Retirees need to be diligent in educating candidates and leaders about TRS, for example: that its 83% funding ratio makes it one of the best funded pension plans in the nation.”

-For more information about TRTA,, visit www.trta.org or call 1-800-880-1650.