From Vol. 90, Ed. 08 May 2, 2024
North Carolina lost over 10,000 teachers last year, more than 11% of the total workforce. Teacher attrition is an issue North Carolina struggles to address, and it’s one sure to have a significant impact soon.
“Education is the profession that starts all 
other professions. And sometimes we forget that,” said Dr. Amanda Chapman, director of field admissions in the College of Education and Allied Professions.
“Schools need to be structured,” she continued. “When you’re constantly training and constantly hiring, it’s going to have a negative impact on learning and the enhancement of student’s lives.”
Though many teachers are leaving the profession, more continue their work despite inadequate compensation because they recognize the irreplaceable value of their position.
“Teachers seek to make an impact on student’s lives. They do that every day. And that’s their true passion – That’s their calling.” Chapman said.
But passionate teachers still struggle to make ends meet. Some are left with no choice but to leave their schools for better opportunities elsewhere – or to leave the profession entirely.
North Carolina currently holds the fourth-lowest state average for starting teacher salary according to a 2023 study by the National Education Association. This figure is nearly $11,000 less than the NEA’s standard of minimum living wage. Only five states are found to pay starting teachers more than $50,000.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reported a 122% educator replenishment rate over the last six years, though this number doesn’t imply a higher standard of teaching.
Teacher attrition is often attributed to inadequate compensation. Chapman says the difficulty of teaching may be overlooked when salaries are being set.
“The number of tests that teachers have to take is on the same level as doctors and lawyers, so they should be compensated at that level.”
Students also have their share of grievances surrounding compensation.
“Teacher pay is a big issue. All the teachers I know have a second job, or third,” said Kestral Welch, an elementary education student at WCU who plans to graduate in 2025.
“It’s been a problem for a while, and I feel it’s being talked about more; But things haven’t changed much and I think they’re getting worse,” she continued.
Ella Jamison and Dylan Blair are also elementary education students at WCU planning to graduate next spring.
“I worry about it every single day,” Blair said. “I worry that I’ll graduate from college and not be able to afford to live off of a teacher salary. I know I’ll have to have a second job when I start teaching.”
According to a report by EdNC, 52% of North Carolina teachers hold second jobs. 24% of those are outside the education system.
Jamison has already decided to leave North Carolina upon graduation.
“I’m moving to Tennessee. All of the teachers I know that work in North Carolina who have lives built here – They tell me to leave. They’ve told me to leave North Carolina, that it’s better anywhere else.”
In 2013, North Carolina became the first state to rescind pay increases for teachers with their masters’ degree. The state is working to reintroduce the increase but is yet to declare anything official.
“If I end up staying in North Carolina, there isn’t really any motivation for me to get my masters’,” said Katy Masotti, another WCU education student.
Because of the difficulty in finding qualified teachers willing to work in North Carolina, the state has resorted to hiring applicants with no formal education in teaching. The rate of teachers hired from areas outside education has increased by about 23% since 2017 according to NC DPI.
“College is for threading out the people who don’t really want to teach,” Blair said. “We learn social and emotional regulation, how to handle parents, how to handle a classroom, all that stuff.”
“Teaching is a work of heart and you have to want the best for students, and the best is knowing how to teach.”
Welch and Jamison both complain about the lack of qualified individuals hired into teaching roles.
“They’re throwing regular people into classrooms to teach who have no knowledge of children or of how to teach,” Welch said. “Having a teacher that you can connect with and have a real relationship with makes or breaks a student’s educational experience.”
The North Carolina Teaching Fellows program offers up to $5,000 per semester in loan forgiveness to recent graduates who teach at a low-income North Carolina school for at least one year. WCU was removed from the program in June 2015.
“I’m an independent student, so I have to take out a bunch of loans – I’m just kind of stuck,” Blair said.
The Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness program offers up to $17,500 to highly qualified teachers, though only after committing to teach in a low-income school for five years.
Welch and her peers are concerned about the stipulations of this program.
“That’s the scary part – A lot of the places where they need teachers are in areas of low resources, high crime rates and low security.” Welch said. “My dad has told me he doesn’t want me in that program because of the safety risks. They’ll place you where no one else wants to teach.”
The North Carolina Board of Education and DPI are working to address the many issues within public education in North Carolina. But until substantial measures are set in motion, the state will likely continue to lose qualified teachers to other markets.
