(1) “Original member” means a member employed in Michigan public schools before July 1, 1945.

    (2) “Out of system public education service” means service performed in public education meeting 1 or more of the following requirements:

    (a) Performed in other states in the United States or its territorial possessions.

    (b) Performed at the university of Michigan, Michigan state university, Wayne state university, Grand Valley state university, Oakland university, or Saginaw Valley university.

    (c) Service purchased before January 31, 1991 and performed in a juvenile training school operated by a county in this state.

    (d) Service purchased before January 31, 1991 and performed in a community mental health service program operated under former 1963 PA 54 for the developmentally disabled in day care programs, day training programs, or day care training programs that were transferred to an intermediate school district by direction of the department of education.

    (e) Service purchased before January 31, 1991 and performed as an elementary or secondary teacher at a United States armed forces military base in the United States or a foreign country.

    (f) Service purchased before January 31, 1991 and performed as a teacher or administrator of American nationals in overseas public elementary or secondary schools operated by the United States department of defense.

    (g) Performed by an individual who first becomes employed by an institution of higher education described in section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963 on or after January 1, 1996.

    (3) “Prior service” means service performed before July 1, 1945.

    (4) “Public local school district” means a general powers school district organized under the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1 to 380.1852, regardless of previous classification, or a school district of the first class under the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1 to 380.1852.

    (5) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, “public school academy” means a public school academy established under part 6a of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.501 to 380.507; an urban high school academy established under part 6c of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.521 to 380.529; a school of excellence established under part 6e of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.551 to 380.561; or a strict discipline academy established under section 1311b to 1311m of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1311b to 380.1311m. Public school academy does not include any of the following:

    (a) A public school academy operated by a state public university that is not subject to the optional retirement act of 1967, 1967 PA 156, MCL 38.381 to 38.388.

    (b) A public school academy corporation formed by a state public university that is not subject to the optional retirement act of 1967, 1967 PA 156, MCL 38.381 to 38.388.

    (6) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, “public school employee” means an employee of a public local school district, intermediate school district, public school academy, tax supported community or junior college, eastern Michigan university, central Michigan university, northern Michigan university, western Michigan university, Ferris state university, Michigan technological university, Lake Superior state university, or district library as defined in section 69g if the conditions in section 69g(1) are met for that employee. Service at Michigan technological university shall be creditable only if the amount of the accumulated contributions in the state employees’ retirement system created by the state employees’ retirement act, 1943 PA 240, MCL 38.1 to 38.69, for service is paid to the retirement system. Service at Ferris state university shall be creditable as prior service or membership service only if the employee was employed at Ferris state university on a full-time basis for 2 or more years after May 17, 1949. Until January 1, 1988, public school employee also includes an individual holding a Michigan teacher certificate and serving as an employee of the Michigan high school athletic association, other than a person whose effective date of employment with the Michigan high school athletic association is on or after December 31, 1986. Public school employee includes a public school employee on an approved leave of absence that does not exceed 2 years from the date the employee ceases to accumulate service credit. Public school employee does not include an individual who first becomes employed by a university described in this subsection on or after January 1, 1996, or an employee who is hired but has not yet performed services for remuneration under an express or implied contract with a reporting unit.