Teacher retention, mobility, and attrition in Kentucky public schools from 2008 to 2012

• On average, 85.6 percent of classroom teachers in the Kentucky public school system during four recent school years stayed in the same school from one year to the next, 6.0 percent moved to a different school in the system, and 8.4 percent left the system. • Teachers age 31 or younger and teachers age 50 or older left the Kentucky public school system at higher rates (13.0 percent and 9.1 percent) than teachers ages 32–49 (5.0–6.7 percent). • Teachers in public schools serving a larger proportion of students eligible for the school lunch program moved to a different school at a higher rate (7.9 percent) than teachers in schools where a smaller proportion of students were eligible (4.8–5.6 percent). • Teachers left the Kentucky public school system at a similar rate regardless of the characteristics of the schools in which they were employed.