For the last two decades, Ohio has given its new public school teachers choices among retirement plans. Early in their employment, they are handed a form that allows them to opt for a traditional pension plan, a 401(k)-style defined-contribution (DC) plan, or a plan that combines elements of each. If they make no affirmative decision at all--that is, if they don't return the form with a choice clearly indicated within their first 180 days--state law dictates that they be automatically enrolled in the first option, the defined-benefit (DB) plan. As might be expected, many new Ohio teachers--about three-quarters of them in recent years--take no action and thus end up in the DB plan. Ohio deserves credit for giving its teachers choices on their retirement plan, but the stakes for teachers to make the right decision are high. If they enroll in the DB plan--or default into it--educators cannot reverse their decision. And because the Buckeye State is one of fifteen states that do not cover teachers under social security, the plan that workers choose will provide their only retirement benefits while working in Ohio public schools. This brief explains the three choices available to teachers and models out how workers would earn retirement benefits under each plan. That analysis shows that Ohio educators would be better off under one of the alternatives than under the DB plan. If state policymakers intend to provide the greatest retirement benefits to the most workers, they should be open to changing the default option. [Foreword by Aaron Churchill.]