Nonpublic Education Service

Eligibility

You may purchase up to five years of service rendered with a qualified nonpublic school anywhere in the U.S. or its territorial possessions. Qualified nonpublic elementary or secondary schools are those that offer a course of academic study primarily oriented toward awarding high school diplomas.

Nonpublic two- or four-year higher educational institutions qualify if they offer an academic course primarily oriented toward awarding associate, baccalaureate, masters, doctoral, or other academic degrees.

Conditions 

• This service cannot be used to satisfy vesting requirements.
• You may purchase this service before you are vested, but it will not be credited to you until you reach vested status.
• Your nonpublic educational service must be followed by at least five years of service within this retirement system. 
• Your former employer(s) must certify your service.
• If, at any point in time you accumulated enough service credit to qualify for a pension based on this service, you cannot purchase the service unless you have relinquished all rights to the pension benefit.
• If you are eligible to receive any employer contributions made on your behalf to a 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan, you cannot purchase the service unless you have relinquished all rights to the employer contributions. 
• Distributions, transfers, or refunds are not considered a relinquishment.
• If you have received any employer contributions made on your behalf to a 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan, you cannot purchase the service. 
• Previous purchase of the following buy-ins that were repealed will offset available nonpublic educational service credit: Job Corps, Indian Reservation, United States trust/former trust territory teaching, and foreign country service for U.S. personnel or dependents of U.S. military or U.S. Department of State.

Cost

You may purchase any fraction of a year increment.Your cost is the actuarial rate in effect at the time of payment. Click here to learn how to calculate actuarial cost. 

Application

Submit an Out-of-System Public or Nonpublic Educational Service (R0149C)  application. Follow the directions provided on the form.

For more information on purchasing service credit, see How to Purchase Service Credit.