PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Earlier this summer, Gov. Dan McKee signed a law allowing retired school staff to work as long-term substitutes without risking their pensions. But will it be enough to fill the hundreds of classroom vacancies across Rhode Island?

Retired teacher Rod DaSilva spent 35 of his 43 years teaching at Garden City School in Cranston, where he brought lessons to life with elaborate projects—from transforming classrooms into medieval castles to showcasing artwork of Greek and Roman gods. However, when the old school was replaced with a new building in 2021, he retired.

Last year, though, DaSilva returned to teaching to help cover a leave of absence for a colleague, but due to the rules at the time, he could not work more than 90 days without affecting his pension.

That r

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