Well-Being of School Community: Teacher Retention & Resignations

As educators continue to report burnout, many teachers are announcing their resignations from their current positions. While some are leaving to teach at new schools, others are resigning indefinitely. School leaders are aware of the high resignation rates and working towards addressing educators’ needs.

  • “Two weeks ago I resigned from my current teaching position, and today is that last day in the classroom. I loved teaching, and in some ways I still do, but I needed to do something different for my own physical and more importantly mental health. Hold some space for me today.” —High School Teacher in Oklahoma 
  • “I’ve been waiting to share this news. After 13 years, I’ve submitted my letter of resignation. I will be teaching at another school this fall – a bittersweet but necessary decision. I will so miss the kids and my colleagues.  Change at my age is scary, but I am ready.” —Teacher N/A
  • “I love teaching and the thought of quitting terrifies me. But, I do not like what it’s doing to me. It causes 95% of my stress and anxiety.” —High School ELA Teacher in Georgia 
  • “I desire to retire from teaching before burnout. Before I hate it, am filled with regret and frustration. Let me leave while I still love it. I don’t want the system to have the satisfaction of saying it pushed me out.” —Middle School Teacher in Michigan
  • “When teachers say that leaving teaching is the hardest thing they ever had to do— believe them, because it is. Why? Because when a teacher leaves, you may see it just as someone leaving a job, but we see it as leaving something we love, and letting down students and families.” —High School Teacher in New Jersey
  • “So I took a risk today and at 7:30 pm I sent in my resignation from my job as much as it’s going to hurt because I love my students I’m in a space now where I will always put my physical health and my mental health first if I’m going to be a presence in the classroom I need to be well.” —High School Teacher in New York
  • “Still can’t describe the way I feel when I read posts about teachers leaving, like at this point in the year. Not August. Not December. Not January. April. Less than 2 months to go. When you are hanging on by a thread…” —Math Teacher in Indiana 
  • “Small but important frame…Many educators are leaving the field AND there are many educators staying. Truth doesn’t always have to be in conflict. There’s something to learn in BOTH during this time.” —Leader in California
  • “The imbalance of resource, and workload demands. The lack of the pay in school teachers hands. With talks of the gaps and the learning regression. Alarming rates as teachers leave the profession. We need more support and less legislation especially from those outside education.” —Elementary Principal in Missouri

While conversations about retention and resignation were prevalent in both communities, the volume of discussion in the teacher community was 145.89% higher in comparison to the school leader community.

March-April 2022

Methodology: These charts represent a sample of sentiment and mentions of 10,000 teachers and school leaders on Twitter in March through April 2022.