The legislature recognizes that teachers and school district employees share the same educational work environment and academic calendar.

It is the intent of the legislature to achieve similar retirement benefits for all educational employees by transferring the membership of classified school employees in the public employees' retirement system plan 2 to the Washington school employees' retirement system plan 2. The transfer of membership to the Washington school employees' retirement system plan 2 is not intended to cause a diminution or expansion of benefits for affected members. It is enacted solely to provide public employees working under the same conditions with the same options for retirement planning.

As members of the Washington school employees' retirement system plan 2, classified employees will have the same opportunity to transfer to the Washington school employees' retirement system plan 3 as their certificated coworkers. The ability to transfer to the Washington school employees' retirement system plan 3 offers members a new public retirement system that balances flexibility with stability; provides increased employee control of investments and responsible protection of the public's investment in employee benefits; and encourages the pursuit of public sector careers without creating barriers to other public or private sector employment.