Governor McCrory Says More Needs to be Done to Slow Teacher Turnover | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    Raleigh, N.C.     Governor Pat McCrory issued the following statement after a slight drop in teacher turnover was reported in the Annual Report on Teachers Leaving the Profession which is issued by the Department of Public Instruction. The overall turnover rate was 14.12 percent in 2013-14 out of a teacher workforce of 96,010 teachers. The turnover rate was 14.33 percent in 2012-13.

    "I am proud of the progress we made to raise pay for North Carolina teachers. However, we still have a long way to go. Teaching is difficult work and we need to continue to respect and reward our teachers to keep them in the profession," Governor McCrory said. "The next step is to work with the General Assembly to create career opportunities and choices that help retain our excellent teachers and ensure there is a high-quality educator leading every North Carolina classroom."

    Although the overall rate declined, the governor expressed concern over high turnover among specific populations of teachers:

    "We saw the highest turnover in our rural counties and among STEM and special education teachers. These are areas of critical need, and ones I will continue to focus on moving forward. We must strengthen incentives for teachers to work in our highest-need subjects and schools."

    The Department of Public Instruction's Annual Report on Teachers Leaving the Profession will be submitted to the General Assembly and can be found here.


    Contact: Crystal Feldman
       govpress@nc.gov