Unfunded pension liabilities for U.S. teachers are massive—nearly $325 billion in 2012—and only one-fifth of states’ plans can be considered well-funded. Nearly everywhere, state leaders are scrambling to find politically and constitutionally acceptable ways to gain control of ballooning teacher-pension debt. And yet, most leaders are overlooking an important lever squarely under their control—the salary raises offered to late-career teachers.
Commentary