Key Points: 

• Teacher attrition declined, but vacancies, retention woes remain 

• Educators cite pay, burnout, working conditions as reasons for leaving

• Study continues conversation on raising pay through Proposition 123

Teacher attrition rates have slightly decreased in the state over the past year, according to a new report from the Arizona Department of Education, but districts and charters still face thousands of vacancies, keeping efforts to recruit and retain educators at the forefront. 

Discussion at the State Board of Education has turned to increased teacher pay, echoing a continuing conversation at the Legislature on whether to renew Proposition 123 and earmark funds from the state land trust fund to fuel pay raises.

“We must dedicate a substantial portion of the Prop. 123 money … to raising teacher salaries,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said. “We’re losing more teachers than are coming into the profession. It’s scary really, what’s the long-term consequence of that if we don’t take strong action?” 

As part of the FY2026 budget, the Legislature allocated $100,000 to the Department of Education to conduct a comprehensive study on teacher retention rates in district and charter schools. 

Results came in late December, and at the latest State Board of Education meeting, Jamie Wilbur, deputy associate superintendent of educator preparation and certification, and Sid Bailey, associate superintendent of the Arizona educator leadership division, briefed on the status of teacher recruitment. 

Wilbur noted that the state’s attrition rate had decreased over the past year, with 9,101 teachers leaving the profession in 2024 and 8,046 in 2025. 

The majority of loss comes from teachers who have been in the profession for four years or less. 

“We’re losing teachers at an alarming rate in those first four years,” Wilbur said. 

The department also conducted a survey of the 8,046 teachers who left the profession, finding the key reasons continue to be burnout, a need for higher salaries, a lack of respect, student behavior and discipline issues and dissatisfaction with administration. 

On the district and charter side, loss in the profession overall translated to 4,242 vacancies, with a total of 1,055 unplanned vacancies, as of September 2025. 

Wilbur pointed out the lowest retention areas continue to be special education and structured English immersion classrooms, with an 80% retention rate and exit rates of about 15%. 

In terms of content areas, in the past year, arts, early childhood, mathematics and physical education saw an increase in attrition rates. 

By grade, middle school teachers have the lowest retention rates and the highest turnover rates, making them a critical staffing area. Certified teachers tend to stay longer than those without certification. 

Overall, Wilbur noted charter schools continue to see a lower retention rate and a higher percentage of those leaving teaching than districts. 

As for solutions, Wilbur said comprehensive mentorship for new teachers remains a key goal in retaining educators in the profession, with research on the best path forward already underway at the State Board of Education. 

And across the board, the task force and surveys identified increased teacher pay as a priority. 

Board member Jason Catanese asked about how to increase teacher pay.

Wilbur said she would stay in her lane and declined to address the policy question directly, but she said the issue of pay came up “loud and clear” in task force discussions. 

“You will always find it in the reasons that teachers are leaving in the top five,” Wilbur said. “You saw that in the survey data, it’s always there.” 

Catanese advocated for the State Board to work with the Legislature this year to increase teacher pay. 

As it stands now, Rep. Matt Gress, R-Scottsdale, has introduced a resolution to continue the 6.9% distribution rate established under Proposition 123 and to create a teacher compensation fund to raise salaries for full-time, high-performing teachers. 

Horne joined in to advocate for direct funding to teacher salaries and encouraged his fellow board members and educators to contact their legislators to push for Proposition 123. 

“This is the year to put on as much persuasion as we can,” Horne said.