(a)(1)(i)  For teachers eligible to retire on or before September 30, 2009, upon retirement from service under §?16-16-12 a teacher whose membership commenced before July 1, 2005, and who has completed at least ten (10) years of contributory service on or before July 1, 2005, shall, receive a retirement allowance which shall be determined in accordance with schedule A for service prior to July 1, 2012.

SCHEDULE A

YEARS OF SERVICE                                           PERCENTAGE ALLOWANCE

1st through 10th inclusive                                           1.7%

11th through 20th inclusive                                           1.9%

21st through 34th inclusive                                           3.0%

35th                                           2.0%

(ii)  For teachers eligible to retire on or after October 1, 2009, who were not eligible to retire on or before September 30, 2009, upon retirement for service under §?16-16-12, a teacher whose membership commenced before July 1, 2005, and who has completed at least ten (10) years of contributory service on or before July 1, 2005, shall receive a retirement allowance which shall be determined in accordance with schedule A above for service on before September 30, 2009, and shall be determined in accordance with schedule B in subsection (a)(2) below for service on or after October 1, 2009, and prior to July 1, 2012:

(2)  Upon retirement from service under §?16-16-12 a teacher whose membership commenced after July 1, 2005, or who has not completed at least ten (10) years of contributory service as of July 1, 2005, shall receive a retirement allowance which shall be determined in accordance with Schedule B for service prior to July 1, 2012.

SCHEDULE B

YEARS OF SERVICE                                           PERCENTAGE ALLOWANCE

1st through 10th inclusive                                           1.60%

11th through 20th inclusive                                           1.80%

21st through 25th inclusive                                           2.0%

26th through 30th inclusive                                           2.25%

31st through 37th inclusive                                           2.50%

38th                                           2.25%

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-13

  • compensation: includes any and all salary paid for teaching services regardless of whether any part of the salary or compensation is derived from any state or federal grant or appropriation for teachers' salaries, as the term is defined in §?36-8-1(8). See Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-1
  • Service: means service as a teacher as described in subdivision (12) of this section. See Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-1
  • system: means the employees' retirement system of the state of Rhode Island created by chapter 8 of Title 36, and "retirement board" means the board established under that chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-1
  • Teacher: means a person required to hold a certificate of qualification issued by or under the authority of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education and who is engaged in teaching as his or her principal occupation and is regularly employed as a teacher in the public schools of any city or town in the state, or any formalized, commissioner approved, cooperative service arrangement. See Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-1
  • Total service: means prior service as defined in subdivision (6) of this section, plus service rendered as a member of the system on or after the first day of July, 1949. See Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-1

(b)  The retirement allowance of any teacher whose membership commenced before July 1, 2005, and who has completed at least ten (10) years of contributory service on or before July 1, 2005, shall be in an amount equal to the percentage allowance specified in subsection (a)(1) of his or her average highest three (3) consecutive years of compensation multiplied by the number of years of total service, but in no case to exceed eighty percent (80%) of the compensation, payable at completion of thirty-five (35) years of service; provided, however, for teachers retiring on or after October 1, 2009, who were not eligible to retire as of September 30, 2009, the calculation shall be based on the average highest five (5) consecutive years of compensation.

The retirement allowance of any teacher whose membership commenced after July 1, 2005, or who has not completed at least ten (10) years of contributory service as of July 1, 2005, shall be in an amount equal to the percentage allowance specified in Schedule B of his or her average highest three (3) consecutive years of compensation multiplied by the number of years of total service, but in no case to exceed seventy-five percent (75%) of the compensation, payable at completion of thirty-eight (38) years of service; provided, however, for teachers retiring on or after October 1, 2009, who were not eligible to retire as of September 30, 2009 the calculation shall be based on the average highest five (5) consecutive years of compensation.

Any teacher who has in excess of thirty-five (35) years on or before June 2, 1985, shall not be entitled to any refund, and any teacher with thirty-five (35) years or more on or after June 2, 1985, shall contribute from July 1, 1985, until his or her retirement.

(c)  For service prior to July 2012, the retirement allowance of a teacher shall be determined in accordance with subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) above. For service on and after July 1, 2012:

(i)  For teachers with fewer than twenty (20) years of total service as of June 30, 2012, a teacher’s retirement allowance shall be equal to one percent (1%) of the teacher’s average compensation multiplied by the teacher’s years of total service on and after July 1, 2012; and

(ii)  For teachers with twenty (20) or more years of total service as of June 30, 2012, a teacher’s retirement allowance shall be equal to one percent (1%) of the teacher’s average compensation multiplied by the teacher’s years of total service between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2015, and two percent (2%) of the teacher’s average compensation multiplied by the teacher’s years of total service on and after July 1, 2015. For purposes of computing a teacher’s total service under the preceding sentence, service purchases shall be included in total service only with respect to those service purchases approved prior to June 30, 2012, and those applications for service purchases received by the retirement system on or before June 30, 2012. In no event shall a teacher’s retirement allowance exceed the maximum limitations set forth in subsection (b) above.

History of Section.
P.L. 1948, ch. 2101, § 4; P.L. 1950, ch. 2607, § 2; P.L. 1951, ch. 2830, § 7; G.L. 1956, § 16-16-13; P.L. 1970, ch. 112, art. 1, § 2; P.L. 1985, ch. 331, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 476, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 306, art. 2, § 3; P.L. 2005, ch. 117, art. 7, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 68, art. 7, § 4; P.L. 2011, ch. 408, § 10; P.L. 2011, ch. 409, § 10; P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 21, § 12.