This week, the State Board of Education will report that teacher turnover has increased.

The system level turnover rate last year was 13.85 percent, compared to a turnover rate of 12.31 percent the year before. There was a five percent increase in the number of teachers who bolted, and last year’s turnover was the highest rate in seven years.

(Keep in mind that the state’s average turnover rate, which excludes in-state public school transfers, was 9.36 percent last year.)

As in past years, retirement (2,184 teachers) and transfer to another NC public school (2,381 teachers) were the top reasons teachers left their position. Of those who left, only five percent (666 teachers) were dissatisfied with teaching or changed careers.

Here are turnover rates for selected districts:

CMS
2006-2007: 15.82%
2007-2008: 14.57%

Wake
2006-2007: 10.03%
2007-2008: 11.67%

Guilford
2006-2007: 13.33%
2007-2008: 15.70%

Winston Salem/Forsyth
2006-2007: 10.12%
2007-2008: 12.10%

New Hanover
2006-2007: 14.10%
2007-2008: 12.98%

Lee
2006-2007: 15.93%
2007-2008: 13.42%