Across the U.S., research on teacher attrition carries varying definitions, approaches and results. In South Carolina, the education research consortium SC TEACHER is investigating state-specific data and localized nuances for a clearer understanding of statewide educator workforce stability.
This year, SC TEACHER released its annual report on teacher retention with a fresh approach: measuring teacher movement rather than attrition or retention alone. This mobility report captures insights from the latest educator workforce data (2023-24) to inform policy and practice at the state, district and school levels.
Investigating teacher attrition solely through vacancies or the number of exiting teachers ignores important distinctions. For example, a vacancy could be posted for years with no immediate urgency to be filled. Or a teacher who left their position may still teach in that district or state. As such, attrition looks different from state, district and school perspectives. By measuring mobility, state leaders can better understand workforce stability at each organizational level.
Here's some of what the most recent study found:
- State-level one-year retention rates stayed close to 90% for the past five academic years. District- and school-level rates are lower due to educators transferring across or within South Carolina districts.
- In 2023-24, more teachers entered public school system than left it.
- At the school level, high schools had the highest retention rates followed by elementary schools then middle schools.
In the 2023-24 academic year, 5,919 classroom teachers entered the workforce. The largest categories contained:
- Those on initial certificates coming from traditional preparation programs.
- Those on reciprocity certificates coming from other states.
- Those returning to the teaching profession.
These different entry points expand our state’s perceptions of new hires and potential recruitment strategies as teachers from other states or returning to the field may have specific incentives.
Meanwhile, 4,985 teachers left South Carolina’s workforce. This number includes those who retired, moved out of state, left the profession or returned to their home country after teaching temporarily in the U.S. It doesn’t include those who changed roles within public education or who moved to teach in another South Carolina school or district.
Separately tracking teacher movement among districts helps pinpoint stability in South Carolina’s teacher workforce as well as nuances at local levels. Individual districts often have different stories of teacher mobility than the state and one another given their local contexts. For example, teacher movement may be additionally impacted by regional housing costs, population growth, or policies of neighboring states.
Another layer of insight comes from comparing teacher mobility data with SC Teacher Exit Survey findings. This annual survey conducted by SC TEACHER measures exiting teachers’ next steps and primary reasons for leaving and potentially returning.
Of the teachers who left in 2023-24, two-thirds said they would consider returning under different conditions. Together, retirees and those leaving public education reported smaller class sizes and additional protected planning/break times as the most compelling reasons to return. However, retirees ranked salary increase as their number one incentive.
As research shows different motivations for different types of exiting teachers, state policymakers and districts can use these data to drill down into specific incentives. This is especially true if data reveal trends in large numbers of teachers making a specific move (e.g., to another district or state). Embracing and accurately reporting on local nuances could offer leaders in other states similar opportunities to address their core teacher workforce challenges.
