This annual report summarizes data on the state of the teaching profession in North Carolina for the 2021-2022 school year. It finds that the teacher attrition rate was 7.78%, down slightly from the prior year. Mobility rates also decreased slightly. Beginning teachers and TFA/VIF contract teachers had the highest attrition rates. Personal reasons remained the leading cause of teacher departures. Vacancy rates increased from the prior year, with the most vacancies in core K-5 subjects and exceptional children. The report provides historical data on attrition and mobility trends and analyzes results by region, experience level, and subject area.

1. Annual Report on the State of
the Teaching Profession for
2021-2022
February 2023 State Board of Education Meeting
Thomas Tomberlin
Senior Director of Educator Preparation, Licensure
and Performance

3. Employment, Attrition, and Mobility
Reporting
Year
Total
Employees
Attrition Mobility
N % N %
2018-19 94,672 7,115 7.50 4,290 4.50
2019-20 94,410 7,111 7.53 4,662 4.94
2020-21 94,342 7,736 8.20 3,059 3.24
2021-22 93,832 7,298 7.78 3,108 3.31

4. 4
9.04%
8.70%
8.10%
7.50% 7.53%
8.20%
7.78%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Percent
of
Teachers
Leaving
Employment
in
NC
Public
Schools Historical(2016-2022)NC Attrition Rates with 95% ConfidenceIntervals
Mean Attrition Rate for Years 2016-2021: 8.18%

5. 5
4.36%
4.83%
4.37%
4.53%
4.94%
3.24% 3.31%
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Percent
of
Mobile
Teachers
in
North
Carolina
Public
Schools
Historical (2016-2021) NC Mobility Rates with 95% Confidence Intervals
MeanMobilityRate for Years2016-2021: 4.23%

6. Attrition by Years of Experience
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Number
of
Deoparting
Teachers
Years of Experience
Experience of Departing Teachers
n= 7,298

7. Attrition by Teacher Category
CATEGORY OF TEACHERS
Total Number of
Teachers
in Category
2021-2022
Number of
Teachers Leaving
Employment in
NC public schools
% Attrition
in Category
2021-2022
Experienced, Licensed Teachers 80,663 5,580 6.9%
Beginning Teachers 13,169 1,720 13.06%
Teach for
America
Teachers
All 257 65 25.3%
Before Contract
Term
249 57 22.9%
VIF Teachers
All 511 453 88.7%
Before Contract
Term
408 350 85.8%
Residency Licensed Teachers 6,684 793 11.9%

8. Teacher Attrition by Reason Code
Reporting
Year
Total
Attrition
Personal
Reasons
Initiated by
LEA
Beyond
Control of
LEA
Other
Reasons
N % N % N % N %
2019-20 7,111 4,039 56.8 537 7.6 1,836 25.8 699 9.8
2020-21 7,735 3,449 44.6 459 5.9 1,856 24.0 1,973 25.5
2021-22 7,298 3,103 42.5 393 5.4 1,369 18.8 2,433 33.4

9. 2021-2022
Teacher Attrition by Region
Region Name
Total Number of
Teachers
Number of Teachers
Leaving Employment
in NC Public Schools
Attrition
Rate by
Region
Prior Year
Attrition
North Central 23,626 2,009 8.5% 7.9%
Northeast 4,720 374 7.9% 9.0%
Northwest 5,492 314 5.7% 6.5%
Piedmont Triad 15,538 1,078 6.9% 8.1%
Sandhills 8,650 799 9.2% 9.1%
Southeast 8,930 654 7.3% 9.2%
Southwest 21,212 1,632 7.7% 8.2%
Western 5,664 438 7.7% 7.6%
State Totals 93,832 7,298 7.78% 8.20%

10. Vacancy Rates for NC Schools
• There were 94,083.81 teaching positions
reported in NC LEAs for the 2021-2022 school
year.
• Across the state, there were 5,540.36 (5.9%)
instructional vacancies on the 1st day of
school.
• In 2020-2021, there were 3,792.1 (4.1%)
instructional vacancies on the 1st day of school.
• Across the state, there were 5,091.46 (5.4%)
instructional vacancies on the 40th day of
school.
• In 2020-2021, there were 3,213.9 (3.4%)
instructional vacancies on the 40th day of school.

11. Vacancy Methodology (GS. 115C-299.5)
• Changes in vacancy rates could be attributable
to increases in actual vacancy rates in the
State.
• Methodology in determining vacancy rates may
contribute to the increase.
• A position is counted as vacant if:
• The position is not filled by a licensed teacher in a permanent
assignment (e.g., hiring a retiree for part-year)
• Is filled by a long-term substitute or interim teacher
• Is filled by a teacher with an emergency license, permit to
teach, or provisional license

12. Vacancies by Subject Area
Subject Area School Type Number of Vacancies
Core (Math, ELA,
Science, Social
Studies)
K-5 1,223.74
Exceptional Children K-5 444.25
Support Services* K-12 391.30
Exceptional Children 6-8 275.40
Exceptional Children 9-12 272.12
Math 6-8 243.90
CTE 9-12 230.50
Science 6-8 213.30
ELA 6-8 197.75
Other 9-12 190.60
Math 9-12 181.40
Science 9-12 163.25
Social Studies 6-8 161.50
ELA 9-12 161.00

13. Questions and Comments