Arkansas teacher retention rates plateau
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Arkansas' teacher retention rate for this school year has not budged from last year, remaining below pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report from the University of Arkansas Office for Education Policy.
Why it matters: Slightly higher teacher turnover might be the "new normal," according to the report.
By the numbers: About 87% of teachers stayed in the profession for the second year in a row, compared to about 89–90% before the pandemic.
- In the 2025–26 school year, 6.4% left the state's public school workforce while another 3.5% switched to a non-teaching role and 2.7% retired.
Yes, but: Fewer teachers are changing schools, and data suggests increased teacher salaries raised retention rates, particularly in rural areas.
- The LEARNS Act of 2023 raised the minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000. In NWA, the starting salary at the four largest school districts was already around $50,000, while some of the smaller districts saw overnight jumps in pay of $10,000 or more. The larger districts continued to pay more based on experience and education despite no longer being required to do so.
- The rate of teachers who continued teaching but switched to a new school district dropped to 4.9% in 2025–26, from 5.7% the past two years.
Zoom in: Of school districts in Benton and Washington counties, Fayetteville had the highest retention rate with 88.9% followed by Bentonville at 88%. Greenland had the lowest at 67.2%.
- In Rogers, 87.3% of teachers stuck around, as did 84.6% in Springdale.
Zoom out: Nationally, educator turnover rates have stabilized post-pandemic, according to a March report from Rand.
Go deeper: A separate University of Arkansas survey indicated overall high job satisfaction among the state's teachers, although survey respondents expressed concerns like coping with stress and managing student behavior.