STRS Ohio Responds to Recent Communication Sent to Our Members from an Unknown Source

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We recently learned of a series of emails made to appear as if they are from STRS Ohio, promoting candidates in the upcoming State Teachers Retirement Board election. The emails were actually sent from an untraceable source. STRS Ohio does not endorse any candidates for seats on the Retirement Board.

STRS Ohio urges our members to use caution when reviewing communications and links from unknown sources. If you receive a suspicious email that portrays itself as being from STRS Ohio, please contact the Member Services Center toll-free at 888-227-7877. Please know that STRS Ohio does not share member email addresses with third parties.

STRS Ohio has received questions regarding a claim that teachers receive only 77 cents back on every dollar they contribute to the system. This statement is not correct. The average career teacher retiring from the Defined Benefit Plan in 2021 contributed about $215,000 to the system during their career and is projected to receive a total benefit of about $2 million over the course of their retirement. Most importantly, they will never outlive this benefit. Even teachers who leave teaching prior to retirement may request a refund of all their contributions with interest — many times with an additional 50% match.

STRS Ohio continues to focus on the benefits of Ohio educators. A cost-of-living adjustment was announced in March and the minimum age 60 requirement for retirements on or after August 2026 has been eliminated. STRS Ohio investments consistently rank among the best in the public pension industry (investment returns rank in the top 15% over the three-, five-, seven- and 10-year time periods ending Dec. 31, 2021), while operating costs are among the lowest in the country. Additionally, STRS Ohio has routinely earned the highest or second-highest customer service score provided by CEM Benchmarking, a benchmarking organization that compares service levels of 43 large pension plans in the United States and Canada.

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