Alabama teacher retirements decrease, but some district numbers top last year

Fewer Alabama teachers retired this fall compared to recent years – good news for schools trying to hang on to staff.

Still, the rate of fall retirements remains higher than its 10-year average, which could indicate the pandemic is still impacting schools in a way that is pushing teachers to retire.

In recent years, retirements between July and December have been:

1,338 in December 2020
1,213 in December 2021
1,024 in December 2022

The 10-year average is 1,014 retirements.

The month of July, with 472 retirements, saw its highest numbers since 2008, when 492 teachers retired. June is typically the month when most employees retire, averaging 1,350 over the past ten years.

December retirements – 78 total – were among the lowest in the past 15 years.

Even with a smaller number of retirees statewide, 29 school districts – most of which are county school districts – are outpacing their 10-year average for retirements.

Autauga County had 24 retirements from July through December, more than twice their average 9 retirements for the same time period.

Some smaller city districts, including Fort Payne, Oneonta, Albertville and Guntersville, saw twice their average number of retirements during that time period.

As retirements continue, Alabama education officials and lawmakers are looking for ways to encourage teachers to keep teaching as well as reduce barriers for new teachers.

Lawmakers dramatically changed this year’s minimum pay structure for teachers with nine or more years of experience, giving raises every year instead of every three years, and also increasing pay. Some teachers with many years of experience got the equivalent of a 21% raise this year.

All public school employees received a 4% pay raise this year. Teachers also received a 4% raise in 2020 and a 2.5% raise in 2019.

The starting pay for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $43,358.

Nearly 90 retirements were withdrawn after those changes were made in 2022, state officials said.

Lawmakers also improved retirement benefits for teachers hired since 2013, allowing them to retire after 30 years of service regardless of age, rather than wait until age 62 to retire. Teachers hired prior to 2013 can retire after 25 years.

Higher pay for math and science teachers and bonuses for board-certified teachers teaching in hard-to-staff areas are two other ways officials are trying to encourage people to teach.

Despite the changes, the demand for teachers in some subject and geographical areas continues, according to a survey conducted by the Alabama State Department of Education in September. That survey showed 1,500 unfilled teaching positions at the start of the current school year.

The chart below shows the number of retirements in the first half of each school year from 2008-09 to the current school year. Click here if you are unable to see the chart below.