MS HB831

Education majors enrolled during calendar years 2024, 2025, or 2026 who are hired as public school teachers within six months of graduation and beginning on or after March 1, 2026, qualify for Tier 4 PERS membership benefits

Tier 4 membership status means these teachers are treated as if they joined PERS between July 1, 2011, and March 1, 2026, for all retirement system purposes

Average compensation for retirement benefits calculated using the four highest years of earned compensation rather than the eight highest consecutive years required for members joining after March 1, 2026

Eligible teachers can receive creditable service for unused leave, which is not available to standard post-March 2026 members

Teachers meeting these criteria can purchase out-of-state service credit, professional leave credit, and other creditable service options after completing eight years of membership service