Story by Maya Waid
DURHAM, NC – At Creekside Elementary, Megan Reed sits in a too-small desk chair, looking around the classroom that wasn’t hers just weeks ago. The name tags on the cubbies still bear the handwriting of the teacher who had left mid-year. The children are still adjusting — so is she.
Reed, a veteran teacher of 16 years, started the school year teaching first grade. However, when two teachers left in November, she was reassigned to teach second grade. As a result, Reed had to quickly learn a new curriculum and adjust to a new group of students.
“I did a lot of talking with them,” Reed said. “We talked about the fact that it’s OK to feel uncertain. It’s OK to feel nervous. I feel nervous, too. I’ve never taught second grade before, so this is going to be a new adventure for all of us, but it is a disruption.”
Reed’s story is part of a much larger one: North Carolina’s ongoing teacher shortage. Though media coverage of the issue has lessened since the height of the pandemic, educators say the crisis has deepened.
The shortage leads to larger class sizes, increased teacher burnout and fewer individualized learning opportunities, which ultimately affect student outcomes and the quality of education they receive.
Why Are Teachers Leaving?
State data confirms what teachers already know: attrition is rising. Tom Tomberlin, senior director of Educator Preparation, Licensure and Performance for North Carolina, tracks hiring and turnover rates.
According to data from the State of Professional Teaching Dashboard, North Carolina school districts experienced teacher attrition rates ranging from 4.2% to 18.3% in 2023. More than 10,000 of North Carolina’s 90,683 teachers left the profession in 2023 due to career changes, dissatisfaction with teaching, relocation to another state, or retirement.
Although the data is not publicly available for 2024 yet, Tomberlin noted that last year attrition rates rose even higher.
“Historically, North Carolina has hired more teachers than it loses in any given year,” Tomberlin said. “In the last report that we did on this subject, we did see that attrition in the state went up pretty high last year relative to what we’ve seen in previous years.”
Exit surveys indicate a growing trend of teachers leaving the profession, with many citing low pay, high stress, and lack of support as key reasons. Tomberlin also said that rigid licensing requirements contribute to the difficulty in retaining educators.
He said that these requirements often overlook the effectiveness of teachers who may struggle with certain tests but are still making a positive impact in the classroom.
“We have teachers that have difficulty passing some of the tests that are required to become a teacher, but they’re still by everything we can see they’re still functioning as very effective teachers,” Tomberlin said. “And so what do you do with that? What’s the greater good?”
Reed and Tomberlin both noted that most public school educators are able to stay in their position because they are not the breadwinners in their households. Those who are the primary earners often leave public education and take higher-paying roles in private or charter schools with better working conditions.
Due to high vacancies across the board, teachers are not only fulfilling their roles in the classroom but also taking on responsibilities typically handled by other essential staff, such as counselors.
“As teachers, we are having to absorb some of that role as well,” Reed said. “The amount of time in the day that I spend dealing with behaviors is ridiculous, and it does impact the education of the kids with these issues, but it also impacts the education of the other kids, and it creates a stressful work environment.”
Student Fallout
Millicent Rogers, chairwoman of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education, has seen the impact of the teacher shortage firsthand — not just as a board member, but as a mother.
“There are kids who come to school for heat. Some students come to school for food. But more than anything, every student comes to school and expects to get attention from an adult,” Rogers said. “I’ve seen it play out in students not getting the care and attention that they need. So they seek it elsewhere. And sometimes they turn to violence or gangs. Sometimes they get disconnected from school.”
At Creekside, the effects of instability are clear. Students who once thrived now struggle with changes in routine and trust. This instability, Rogers explained, is compounded by the increasing number of teacher vacancies, which makes it harder for students to receive the consistent care and attention they need.
As teachers leave, children — particularly those from low-income backgrounds — are left to navigate a system in crisis.
Many children rely on their teachers for structure and emotional stability — something that becomes nearly impossible when staff shortages lead to constant changes.
The effects are showing in student performance as well. Victoria Creamer, principal at Creekside Elementary, emphasized the challenge of hiring and retaining qualified educators.
“This is my 16th year as a school principal and this has been the worst hiring year,” Creamer said. “In the past, we’ve had a deeper pool of candidates and right now, they don’t exist and those that do, not all of them are fully licensed or have been through a teacher education program. That makes it really, really difficult to find quality teachers who are prepared to step into the classroom on day one.”
Creamer also emphasized the increasing strain on school resources. With fewer teachers available, existing staff must take on additional responsibilities, making it even harder to provide students with individualized instruction.
State reports confirm that reading proficiency in North Carolina’s early grades (K-3) remains below pre-pandemic levels, with economically disadvantaged students disproportionately affected. While there has been improvement in early literacy, gaps still exist, particularly for students with greater needs.
“We have really high expectations for outcomes in North Carolina, but we don’t support the people who are trying to meet those expectations. And that’s, I believe, irresponsible,” Creamer said.
Reed points out that while teachers are doing everything they can, structural issues — such as large class sizes, lack of intervention resources, and mid-year staffing changes —make it nearly impossible for struggling students to receive the help they need
“At Creekside, really, our motto, or our core understanding, is that we do what’s best for kids, what’s best for all kids,” Reed said. “We figure out how to deal with the rest, but our primary motivation is just making sure that we’re doing the best for all of our kids.”
A System Under Strain
The teacher shortage isn’t an isolated problem — it’s deeply tied to state policies and funding. North Carolina allocates education funding based on student-teacher ratios set by the N.C. General Assembly. However, when districts exceed those numbers, they must cover the extra costs. That means wealthier districts such as Wake County can offer higher salaries and better resources, pulling teachers away from underfunded areas such as Durham.
When schools exceed the state-mandated student-to-teacher ratio, such as the 17:1 ratio for kindergarten through third grade, they must open additional classrooms and cover the costs themselves, as the state only provides funding for the allocated ratio.
If a classroom exceeds this limit, the district must foot the bill for an additional teacher. This financial burden places a strain on schools already struggling to make ends meet, particularly those in lower-income areas where resources are stretched even thinner.
“We do our best in supplements, and we do kind of try to keep up with the market,” Rogers said. “We want to one up Wake County, Orange County and Granville County to incentivize educators choosing Durham public schools because the commute is not that far. But that’s not fair to Granville County or Wake County. They still have the same number of students to educate each year.”
The current public education landscape pits most schools against one another and supplies an ongoing battle for funding and qualified educators.
“The state has set up this sort of Game of Thrones kind of way of districts fighting with each other to get the best educators, or the most educators, or whatever the incentive is that year,” Rogers said. “And so that’s difficult. It’s not an investment in everybody in the state, and it’s more of asking what your county’s values are, and if they value public education enough to invest in it.”
Impact on Educators and Students
The shifting of students between charter or private schools and public schools also presents challenges. When parents opt for charter or private schools, the state funds follow the student, but if those schools cannot support the student — especially those with special needs — they can send them back to public schools without cause. This leaves the public school responsible for educating the student but without receiving additional funding for the remainder of the year.
“They are basically saying, ‘hey, you are responsible for educating this kid, but we’re not paying you to educate these kids,’” Rogers said. “So all the money is gone for that year to the private institution or to the charter school, because the parents opted into that, and they’re opting into it because they think it’s the best resource for their students.”
According to a report released by former Gov. Roy Cooper’s office in August 2024, North Carolina agreed to spend an additional $460 million on private school vouchers — money that would have otherwise been allocated to public education.
A month ago, Durham Public Schools (DPS) revealed a $34 million budget shortfall and in response, have decided to cut 15% across schools and departments, impacting classroom resources, counselors and teacher support.
DPS’s shortfall stemmed from various factors, including unbudgeted staff positions, charter school payments, and rising costs in utilities and child nutrition. These funding issues exacerbate the lack of resources for schools in lower-income areas, making it even harder to provide adequate support for students and teachers.
The report from Cooper’s office goes on to add that “North Carolina ranks near the bottom of all states in K-12 funding, spending nearly $5,000 less per student than the national average. In beginning teacher pay, North Carolina ranks 46th nationally and 11th out of 12 states in the Southeast.”
According to 2023 data from DPS, the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree was $43,450, while a teacher with over 10 years of experience earned just under $55,000. The lack of competitive salaries also discourages new educators from entering the field. Fewer college students are choosing education as a career, leading to a shrinking pipeline of qualified teachers.
“We have to provide all the training, but we also have to get the lawmakers investing in teacher salaries and treating teachers like the professionals that they are, not just the traditional housewife or the not good enough to do other things professionally, a true professional,” Rogers said. “Because the work they do is valuable, and it impacts what happens for generations to come.”
Finding a Way Forward
Advocates for education believe solutions exist — if policymakers are willing to act. Increasing teacher pay is at the top of the list, as is reducing class sizes and providing mental health support for both students and educators. Legislative action is needed to close funding gaps between districts and ensure that all schools, regardless of location, can attract and retain quality educators.
For now, some solutions are coming in unconventional ways. Rogers noted that a county commissioner has volunteered to drive a school bus in the mornings, while DPS Superintendent Anthony Lewis often visits classrooms to read to students and give teachers a brief break.
Reed noted that the school system often relies on the community for additional support, and most needs are met when they do. However, this places a burden on families and teachers, many of whom pay out of pocket for essential supplies like Clorox wipes, paper towels, paper, and tissues.
“Our Creekside community is really amazing,” Reed said. “And when we put a call out for supplies, we get so many donations, and that’s really wonderful.
Some districts have begun implementing innovative solutions, such as mentorship programs for new teachers, professional development initiatives, and mental health resources specifically designed for educators. However, without broader systemic changes, these efforts can only do so much.
Reed has no illusions about the challenges ahead. But for now, she stays — for her students, for the moments when learning clicks, for the sense of purpose that brought her into the profession in the first place.
“Some days it’s easier than others,” Reed said. “But I know that this is what I’m meant to be doing.”
