Delaware teachers are in the Delaware State Employees' Pension Plan (SEPP). Inside it, the date you were first hired, before or on/after January 1, 2012, sets your rules.
Your group comes from the date you were first hired into a pension-credited job with a participating employer, not your current district's hire date. Summary Plan Description (2026), p. 18, Table 2; SEPP FAQs (saved Nov. 12, 2026), 'Am I eligible to retire?' (A001/A002); 29 Del. C. §5501(i)
First hired into a pension-credited position before Jan. 1, 2012 (Office of Pensions code A001).
First hired on or after Jan. 1, 2012 (a 'post-2011 employee'; code A002).
Both groups use the same formula: 2% of final average pay for each year before 1997 and 1.85% for each year from 1997 on. Summary Plan Description (2026), p. 23, Service Pension Calculation, Figure 1 Hired in 2012 or later, overtime isn't counted in your pay. 29 Del. C. §5501(g)(1), (g)(3); §5501(c) (post-2011: excluding overtime payments)
Special groups such as 911 operators and correctional officers pay different rates and aren't covered by this site's calculator. Summary Plan Description (2026), p. 8, Table 1
University of Delaware faculty. Most University of Delaware faculty and designated professional staff first employed after June 1, 1970 are not SEPP members; the statute ties them to the Teachers' Insurance and Annuity Association Retirement Plan. Other University of Delaware employees are in SEPP. Summary Plan Description (2026), p. 7, Membership: Eligibility (University of Delaware, excluding most faculty and designated professional staff); 29 Del. C. §5505(1)-(3)
Other Delaware plans. The Office of Pensions also runs the New State Police, Judicial, County and Municipal (general and police/firefighter), Legislative/elected-official and volunteer firefighter plans. None covers school teachers. Service in the New State Police, County and Municipal, County and Municipal Police/Firefighters' and Judicial plans can be unified with SEPP service at retirement to meet eligibility. Summary Plan Description (2026), p. 11, Unified Service; Office of Pensions workshop slides (Aug. 4, 2026), slide 10; slide 18 (calculator list); 29 Del. C. §§5520-5521
The calculator works out your group from your first hire date. See also the formula and early retirement.
No. Public school teachers and other school employees are members of the Delaware State Employees' Pension Plan (SEPP), the same plan as other state employees. The Delaware Office of Pensions runs it.
Two groups, set by the date you were first hired into a pension-credited job: before January 1, 2012, or on or after it. The law calls the second group "post-2011 employees".
Most University of Delaware faculty and designated professional staff are not; the law puts them in a TIAA plan. Other University of Delaware employees are in SEPP.
Source: State Employees' Pension Plan Summary Plan Description, 2026 edition (PDF dated May 14, 2026), pp. 6-9, 11-12, 18, 23-24. Also: Office of Pensions workshop (Aug. 4, 2026), slides 6-10, 18; Office of Pensions SEPP FAQs; Office of Pensions SEPP page; 29 Del. C. §§ 2011, 5501, 5505, 5520. Last reviewed .