Skip Navigation

Table 6. Total number and percentage distribution of public school teacher leavers, by their current occupational and industry status: 2012-13


Occupational and industry status Number   Percent  
Main occupational status of all leavers        
Total 259,400   100.0  
Working for a school or school district in a position in the field of K-12 education, but not as a regular K-12 classroom teacher 76,000   29.3  
Working in the field of K-12 education but not in a school/district 2,900   1.1 !
Working in the field of pre-K or postsecondary education 5,800   2.2 !
Working in an occupation outside the field of education, including military service 20,000   7.7  
Student at a college or university 4,900   1.9  
Caring for family members 24,300   9.4  
Retired 99,200   38.3  
Disabled    
Unemployed 15,000   5.8  
Other    
Industry status of leavers whose main occupational status was working in a position in the field of pre-K or postsecondary education, working in the field of K-12 education but not in a school/district, or working outside the field of education, including military service        
Total 28,600   100.0  
Employee of a private company, non-profit, business, or individual for wages, salary, or commission 21,800   76.1  
State, federal, or local government employee 3,800   13.4  
Self-employed in own business, professional practice, or farm 3,000 ! 10.5 !
Working without pay in a family business, farm, or volunteer job #   #  
# Rounds to zero.
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 percent and 50 percent (i.e., the standard error is at least 30 percent and less than 50 percent of the estimate).
‡ Reporting standards not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error is 50 percent or more of the estimate).
NOTE: "Leavers" are teachers who left the teaching profession after the base year (2011-12). Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and because some data are not shown.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS), "Former Teacher Data File," 2012-13.