NC teachers leave in droves, Asheville sees highest attrition rate, state report shows

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A recent state report shows North Carolina public educators are leaving classrooms at a rising rate.

The 2022-23 school year showed that in Western North Carolina, all but two local districts had an attrition rate at or above 10%.

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“I wish I could say I was shocked, but I’m really not,” Asheville City NCAE President Timothy Lloyd said. “There’s a lot of pressure within school staff. They feel really squeezed.”

On average, North Carolina public schools saw an attrition rate of 11.45%. However, multiple local districts experienced higher numbers last school year. Swain County Schools was at 15.5%, Buncombe County Schools at 16.1%, McDowell County Schools with 16.6%, and Jackson County Schools sat at 18.3%.

On top of that, the school district with the highest attrition rate in the entire state was Asheville City Schools, which topped the list with an attrition rate of 30.7%.

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“There’s not enough pay,” Lloyd said. “There’s too much work for not enough pay. That’s really felt strongly here in Asheville.”

A district’s attrition takes two main areas into account. Those who are leaving education entirely or moving on to another school system.

Statewide, the main reasons cited for teachers leaving the profession had to do with personal reasons, trying a new career or retirement.

Lloyd believes another reason played a role in ACS being at the top of the report.

“I don’t think it’s any more difficult in Asheville or Buncombe [County],” he said. “I think living is more difficult in Asheville and Buncombe [County]."

Lloyd, along with other members of the NCAE, hopes these statistics will shine more of a light on staff pay ahead of many budget sessions statewide.

“We’re in the bottom of the barrel for funding. We’re made to do so much with so little,” he said. “There’s only so many times where people can say things are tough, be heard and action is not done.”

The report shown to the state Board of Education is a draft, so revision is a possibility.