Teacher attrition refers to the rate at which teachers leave a school or exit the teaching profession entirely. Attrition is measured annually: if a school employs 20 teachers and 3 leave by year-end, it has 15% teacher attrition. High attrition disrupts continuity, increases recruitment and training costs, and research shows significantly impacts student achievement—particularly when experienced, effective teachers leave.

Teacher attrition breaks into two categories: migration (teachers moving to different schools) and attrition (teachers leaving the profession). Nationally, approximately 8% of teachers leave the profession annually, with another 8% transferring schools. Charter schools and private schools often experience higher rates—studies show charter teacher attrition averaging 20-25%, with CMO-managed schools seeing 24-38% higher turnover than traditional charters.

Common causes include inadequate compensation, lack of administrative support, difficult working conditions, limited professional development, feeling undervalued or disrespected, burnout from excessive workload, and school climate issues. Research shows that school climate significantly predicts teacher retention—teachers in schools with positive climate, collaborative cultures, and supportive leadership stay longer than those in toxic or unsupportive environments.

For charter and private schools, teacher attrition directly impacts student retention. Families choose schools partly based on teachers; when beloved teachers leave, families sometimes follow. High teacher turnover signals instability that prospective families notice. Pulse surveys measuring both student and staff climate can identify problems driving teacher attrition before mass departures occur.