Ella Monroe appreciates everything the Indiana Retired Teachers Association is doing for people of her profession -- particularly regarding pension benefits.

"In the last year that I worked, I had finally reached $50,000 a year, but my pension is still only a little more than $1,000 per month," said Monroe, of Gary.

In particular, Monroe, who retired in 2004 from Gary's Williams Elementary School, said she likes what fellow retired teacher and former state Rep. Ralph Ayres, R-Chesterton, is doing as executive director of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association, working to increase retired teacher pensions and benefits.

According to a June 2006 report completed for the Indiana State Teachers Association, 1,244 teachers in the state who retired before 1975 received an average monthly pension of $474.

"This past session we were able to lobby for a cost of living adjustment," Ayres said.

Teachers who retired before July 2, 1999, now are eligible for a 2 percent cost of living increase. A 1 percent increase will go to those who retired after July 1, 1999, and before July 2, 2005, effective in February.

"Each budget year, we'll try to move those dates forward by one year," Ayres said.

Ayres, who retired in 2004 after 34 years at Chesterton High School, is a lobbyist for the group. He retired from the House after 26 years last November and became the association's leader in January.