Are teachers allowed to quit during the school year?

Question

I am a currently employed as a teacher in a public school district. I can never remember teachers leaving in the middle of the year. Are we allowed to do so (I imagine we would have to be). If so, does anyone know the proper steps to take? Do I give two weeks notice, as in other jobs? Is there someone I should contact to ask the specifics? If anyone is a teacher who has quit or thought about quitting during a school year, please advise.

Answer 1

It depends. Did you sign a teaching contract? If so, you may not be able to get out of it. If you're just employed at-will (no contract), then you can quit.

The private schools here are at-will employment, while the public schools are contract. So, private school teachers can quit whenever, while public school teachers are stuck for the duration of the school year.

You'll have to contact your school board of directors for details.

Best of luck!

Answer 2

My mom is a teacher. It is not unheard of for a teacher to leave in the middle of a school year. The human resources office should have the specifics on your contract. Basically, from my understanding, your contract just states how much you will be paid and what is expected of you in order to receive payment and the benefit package. You can only be penalized in the termination of pay if you decide to leave and break the contract. Most teachers who do leave do it at the end of a semester.

Everyone takes teachers for granted. Teaching is a tough profession. No one realizes that without teachers, we wouldn't have doctors, lawyers, presidents, or businessmen. Thank you for teaching!

Answer 3

I left a job about 5 years ago after Christmas recess to deal with some family issues...I gave them notice of my plans well in advance so they would not get caught shorthanded...it really depends on if you want to teach again in the district or state, you may have to use them as a refference...you may also want to look into a leave of absence rather than a letter of resignation...they are not granted by all districts and are sometimes hard to get...give them as much time as possible out of professional courtesy to deal with scheduling and other matters...

Answer 4

HR is good but you should also talk to your union representative if you have one.
The only reason for following any rules about breaking a contract that I know of if that no other schools will want you. Everyone I know who wants to quit on Friday comes back on Monday. If you are a new teacher try to talk to your mentor (if they gave you one). The biggest impediment to quitting is cold-feet. If you are afraid you will back out of quitting make sure to send everyone in your school an email saying goodbye and the reasons you are leaving before you go to bed. Then you'll have to quit.

Answer 5

With at least 2 weeks notice, your school should be able to replace you. Even if you signed a contract, I have never seen any penalties for breaking one. The contract is more for the specifics of pay.
The best way to approach this is to go to your immediate supervisor and give him/her as much time for notice as possible.

Answer 6

Check with your HR department. Most school systems have contracts that can hold someone in that position for 30 days. However, many schools will allow you to leave earlier if it is a negative situation for students or if they can find a replacement earlier.

Answer 7

Your questions should be directed to the director of human resources at your school board. It might be difficult to get out of contract in the middle of the year. Do you just need to leave
temporarily? You could take a leave of absence perhaps....but like I said talk to your human resource director. They will be able to tell you exactly what you need to know.
Good Luck!