New data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction show strong principal retention rates and stable teacher attrition rates in public schools. The findings, presented to the NC State Board of Education on Feb. 5, suggest a continue leveling of teacher departures and a slight decline in overall vacancy rates.
The report tracks teacher attrition and vacancies between March 2024 and March 2025 across the state’s 115 public school districts. For the 2024-2025 school year, the teacher attrition rate as 10.11%, a bump of less than a quarter of a percentage point from the previous year’s 9.88%. That translates to 221 more teachers leaving than last year from a total of 9,107 full-time permanent positions.
Speaking to the state board this week, Dr. Tom Tomberlin, senior director of educator preparation, licensure, and performance at NCDPI, characterized this slight uptick as “not substantive,” suggesting it likely represents “wobble changes” rather than a significant trend.
But state superintendent of public instruction Mo Green said that the results underline the ongoing need to address the root causes of attrition.
“This year’s report reinforces the importance of addressing the core issues that lead to teacher attrition,” Green said in a statement. “Our public schools cannot be best in the nation if our teachers are not adequately compensated, trained and revered. It will take action from the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and our schools to strengthen the education profession.”
“The slight uptick in teacher attrition is noticeable, although I don’t think it’s worrisome,” said Dr. Robert Luebke, director of the Center for Effective Education at the John Locke Foundation. “The fact is, North Carolina’s teacher attrition rate of 10.11 is comparable to attrition rates in other industries. It doesn’t mean we stop trying to improve working conditions, but it’s certainly no cause to overhaul the profession.”
The report revealed that teacher attrition remains highest among new educators at 14% to 18% and veteran teachers at 15.5% to 25%. For experienced educators, these departures are largely driven by retirement, a factor that board members noted is often a personal decision outside the direct influence of the state or DPI.
Regarding vacancies, the report showed a slight decrease to 7.4% for 2024-25, down from 7.6%. These figures use a broadened statutory definition that includes positions filled by temporary licensed teachers and rehired retirees.
“The majority of what this report classifies as ‘vacant’ positions are actually filled by an educator with a temporary license or a rehired retiree,” Tomberlin said. Looking strictly at unstaffed positions, the vacancy rate is “closer to 1.2%,” representing about 1,000 classrooms across the state that lack a permanent, licensed teacher, he said.
The report also showed positive trends in principal retention. The attrition rate for principals was 6.1%, with nearly three-in-five departures attributed to retirement. Principal mobility within the state remains low at 4.2%, and most principals who move do so within their existing school district. This internal movement is often viewed as “human capital management” rather than an indicator of dissatisfaction, according to Tomberlin. Notably, more than three-quarters of principals in low-performing schools remained in their roles.