Member Since 2014

Leslie Kan


Leslie Kan is an Analyst with Bellwether Education Partners in the Policy and Thought Leadership practice area. She joined Bellwether in 2014 and focuses on the organization’s research on teacher pensions.

Published Articles & Media

Why Teachers Need Portable Benefits

Traditional pension benefits aren’t portable. When a teacher moves to a new state, her previous service years don’t automatically rollover for free. Instead, she starts back at zero.

Teach for America Recognizes Teachers Need Portable Benefits

Teach for America celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. An increasing number of alumni are staying in the classroom, and the organization has adopted new policies to recognize this.

Unions Love Social Security. They Just Don’t Want it for All Their Workers

Over 6 million public sector workers are not covered by Social Security, including about 1.2 million public school teachers.

Chicago Running Out of Options after Pension Reform Law Overturned

The judge's ruling is a tough blow for the city’s finances and could worsen the situation for new and future workers, including teachers.

Chicago Made Its $634 Million Pension Payment, but Still Shortchanges Teachers

Because of post-recession pension cuts, new teachers in Chicago were placed in a less-generous plan and will face negative net benefits for their first two decades of service.

Illinois Pension Reform Law Unconstitutional. What’s Next?

Court tells the state it can't cut benefits for existing workers, so new and future workers will have to bear the full brunt of cuts.

Not All Pensions Are Equal

For most teachers, a pension won’t lead to a cushy retirement.

Teachers May Want a Refund on Their Pension

Just because a teacher has the option to get a pension at some point down the road doesn’t necessarily mean she should take it.

Khan Academy Explains Illinois’ Pension Crisis

How Illinois became one of the worst-funded states in the nation (pension-wise) and the consequences for the state's education funding.

The Magic Pension Year

Teachers who perform well and want to teach beyond the prescribed plan retirement age shouldn’t be punished

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