Funding

STRS Ohio is funded through investments and contributions made by members and their employers. Members contribute 10% of gross earnings. Employers contribute an additional 14% of members’ annual salary into the Employers’ Trust Fund. There are approximately 1,111 employers who contribute to STRS Ohio, including city and local school districts, county educational service centers, exempted village districts, vocational and technical schools, colleges and universities, county boards of mental retardation and developmental disabilities, and community schools, as well as the state of Ohio.

During 2007–2008, member contributions totaled more than $1 billion. The contributions from 1,111 employers, combined with service credit purchased by employers through retirement incentive plans, totaled more than $1.4 billion. During this same period, STRS Ohio experienced a net investment loss of $4.1 billion. As of June 30, 2008, STRS Ohio’s net assets available for benefits exceeded $70.8 billion. Approximately $49.2 billion of this amount has been placed in the Annuity and Pension Reserve Fund to pay benefits to more than 126,000 retired teachers and other beneficiaries.