This week’s map illustrates the teacher turnover rate in the 2013-14 school year by district. Teacher turnover is defined as the percent of teachers who are no longer employed in the district from one year to the next. In 2013-14, 14.1% (13,557) of all North Carolina teachers left their school district.

In addition to the overall turnover rate, the chart below the map shows the primary reasons why teachers left.

Teachers leave their position in a school district for a variety of reasons, including for family or health concerns, or retirement, or to teach in another district, private or charter school. Reasons for leaving are reported in exit interviews and surveys with school district administrators and grouped into five broad categories:

1. Left the school district but remained in education (Includes individuals resigning to teach in another North Carolina district, charter, or private school and those who moved to non-teaching positions in education)
2. Left for personal reasons (Includes individuals resigning to teach in another state, leaving because of family responsibilities, retiring with reduced benefits or seeking a career change)
3. Terminated by the school district (Includes individuals who were non-renewed, dismissed, or resigned in lieu of dismissal)
4. Left for reasons beyond the school district’s control  (Includes individuals who retired with full benefits or were not rehired due to reduction in force)
5. Left for other reasons (Includes teachers resigning or leaving teaching for reasons not listed or those who resigned for unknown and other reasons)

The chart illustrates the percent of teachers who left that reported each broad reason for leaving. Click on the particular segment to view the actual value. To view the values for multiple categories, hold down the control key and click on additional segments.

Statewide, most teachers who left for personal reasons such as a career change, retirement with reduced benefits or family issues. The second highest category was teachers who left but remained in education, either in another district, charter school or a non-teaching position in the district. Fewer teachers who left reported reasons out of the control of the school district such as a reduction in force, retired with full benefits or the end of a teaching term with an organization, such as Teach for America.

Select a district(s) from the dropdown menu or by clicking on a district on the map. Additional selection tools can be found by hovering over the arrow under the map tools. Try the radial or lasso function to quickly select multiple districts.