Quitting Teaching Mid-Year: Can You Really Do It?

Ever wondered whether you can quit a teaching position midway through the year?

Changing roles can be intimidating. And you’re probably curious as to whether there could be any impact on your finances or future roles.

In this article, we cover:

• When you can and can’t quit teaching
• What happens if you quit teaching mid-year
• How you can quit teaching and what you can do next

Can you quit teaching mid-year?

Teacher burnout is on the rise. And if you’re one of the thousands desperate to restore work-life balance then you might be considering leaving too.

In fact, according to one survey by Rand, teachers are more than twice as likely to be stressed than other working adults. This burnout is attributed to several factors, including short staffing and overwork, poor well-being, and low salaries.

A NEA study also shows that there are 500,000 fewer educators across America post-pandemic and more than half of all teachers are leaving the profession sooner than originally planned. These stats make it appear as if these problems are only going to get worse.

For this reason, many people are wondering whether they can leave their jobs midway through the year.

If you’re one of them, know that there are some circumstances in which you can quit your role immediately (which we will explore in the next section).

That said, it’s generally easier to see out the academic year as this means you avoid any potential legal repercussions. (However, don’t let that scare you – contracts vary and you may not face any legal repercussions.)

It should also be noted that we recommend you speak to your lawyer or union rep for advice before taking action – and this article is not intended as legal guidance.

When can you quit teaching mid-year?

To understand when you can leave your teaching role, you should always start by thoroughly reading your contract.

While regulations vary significantly from state to state, wherever you’re located, it’s highly unlikely that there will be no consequences for quitting mid-year unless it’s due to a specific set of circumstances. We outline these below.

You’ll also have to make sure you follow the proper procedures for leaving your role… but more on that later.

When you can quit teaching mid-year

Common circumstances where your contract may allow you to quit teaching mid-year include:

• Health issues: If you experience physical or mental health issues that make it impossible to continue teaching, you will usually be allowed to leave to prioritize your well-being. While not always mandatory it will help your case to get documentation from your doctor that you can submit alongside your resignation. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) does cover teachers, but you should still consult your school as it doesn’t invalidate contractual obligations and state laws may differ.
• Family circumstances: Serious family emergencies, caregiving responsibilities, or other serious family-related issues may be adequate grounds to leave your role.
• Relocation: If you need to relocate to a different geographic area due to your spouse's job transfer, personal reasons, or other circumstances, your contract may sometimes include a clause for this.
• Hostile work environment: If you’re dealing with a hostile or toxic work environment that affects your well-being and ability to teach effectively, you will usually be able to resign.
• Career change or advancement: In rare cases, your contract may allow you to take on a better job offer or pursue a different career path. More common are caveats that allow for being accepted into a graduate program. Check your contract to find out more.

When you can’t quit teaching mid-year:

Needless to say, nobody can force you to go to work. That said, some reasons might make it impractical or inadvisable to resign mid-year. These include:

• Breaks in contractual obligations: As we’ve covered, you’re bound by an employment contract that outlines the terms and conditions of your employment, including notice periods and eligible reasons for resignation. If you leave without an eligible cause and break the contract you could be refused a reference in the future or even lose your license to teach.
• Financial implications: You could lose benefits or be required to repay signing bonuses.
• State and district policies: Some states and school districts may have policies or regulations that govern mid-year resignations and outline procedures that you must follow. Failing to adhere to these could lead to disciplinary action or other consequences that could make finding future employment more difficult.

What happens if you quit your teaching job mid-year?

Repercussions of quitting teaching mid-year can include:

• Contractual penalties: Your contract could include provisions that specify penalties for breaking the contract mid-year. This could include financial repercussions, like forfeiting a portion of your salary or repaying incentives like signing bonuses.
• Damaged reputation within education: This might not matter if you intend to change fields completely, but as a general rule it’s important not to burn bridges and tarnish your professional reputation. You might want to return to teaching at a later date and good standing will help facilitate your return to the field.
• Difficulty getting a reference: Schools or governing bodies may be unwilling to provide you with a positive reference if you leave mid-year.
• Legal or licensing consequences: While extremely rare, losing your license is possible if you breach your employment contract, especially if there are legal implications related to your resignation
• Feelings of guilt: A change of teacher mid-year can negatively impact students especially if you know the school will struggle to replace you. It’s not unreasonable to feel a sense of responsibility for the impact your resignation could have on your colleagues, learners, and the school's reputation.
• Losing your benefits: Depending on your contract and state laws you could lose accrued benefits such as sick leave, retirement contributions, or other perks.
• Difficulty teaching in the future: Some school districts will view a mid-year resignation poorly and they could be hesitant to hire you in the future. This isn’t a huge concern if you’re adamant you won’t return to teaching down the line but worth keeping in mind.

If you aren’t sure your reasons for quitting will enable you to avoid these pitfalls, it’s a good idea to talk to your union representative or seek other professional legal advice before you quit.

There might be other ways you can work through your situation such as an authorized leave of absence, sabbatical, or unpaid job-protected leave as stipulated in the FMLA.

How do you quit teaching?

You’ve done your research, been over your contract, sought the proper legal advice, and decided that you’re going to quit. Now it’s important to do it the right way.

Following the right procedure will minimize hassle, help protect you from any nasty surprises, and help you maintain a good relationship with your employer when moving on.

Here’s how to do it:

• Notify your employer: You should inform the school administration or principal in writing. Include the effective date of resignation and your reason for resigning.
• Provide enough notice: Your employment contract or school policy will most likely require a notice period. The standard is often between 30 and 60 days but will vary from school to school.
• Prepare for the transition: Work with the school to ensure a smooth transition. This could include completing any outstanding work, preparing materials for your replacement, or even being involved with their recruitment process.
• Submit your resignation letter: You should formally submit a resignation letter to the school administration. It should be professional in tone and include:

1. Statement of resignation: State your intention to resign from your role.
2. Effective date: Specify the last day of your employment.
3. Reason for resignation: You don’t have to do this, but providing a brief explanation of why you want to resign can be helpful.
4. Thank you note: Again, this is optional and depending on why you’re leaving might not be appropriate. If you are leaving on good terms though it’s polite to thank the school for the opportunity.

• Complete any exit procedures: You might need to complete an exit procedure. This could include an exit interview or other formalities such as returning keys, paperwork, or any school property like laptops or work phones.
• Follow-up: After submitting your resignation it’s a good idea to follow up with administration to ensure that everything has been done properly and there are no outstanding issues.

What can you do next?

Once you're ready to take the next step in your career, you can take stock of your available options.

Experience in teaching will have given you an invaluable range of skills that you can apply to many professions and it’s good to do some research and see what other roles you might enjoy.

For a deeper look at this, take a look at our guides:

• Transferable Skills from Teaching
• How to Change Your Career from Teaching
• “I Hate Teaching”: What to Do Next

One option that’s ideal if you’re looking for a better work-life balance but still want to use transferable skills from teaching is Instructional Design.

As an Instructional Designer, you develop and create learning experiences for professionals at companies, organizations, and nonprofits.You’ll still have the gratification of developing learning materials but with the added bonus of being able to work remotely and flexibly. You could also earn more — average salaries for IDs in corporate roles in the US are $85,452and 94% of instructional designers are happy with their work-life balance according to our survey.

In other words, a career in Instructional Design might be your ticket to earn more, stress less, and put your talents to good use.

If you’re wondering how to transition from teacher to instructional designer, check out our Instructional Design Bootcamp. You’ll learn how to build a strong portfolio that helps you stand out from others in the industry and get personalized feedback and step-by-step guidance on your work.

Next steps

We hope this guide has been useful in helping you understand the complexities of quitting teaching mid-year.

While it’s often not possible to leave your job early, as long as you pay attention to your contract and follow the right steps, you should be able to.

That only leaves you with the question of what to do next…

Your time as a teacher will have helped you hone a unique skill set that you can bring to a huge range of new roles. You could find a role (such as instructional design) that gives you more flexibility and time off, less stress, and more money.

If instructional design sounds like an interesting next step in your career, sign up for my free checklist to learn more.

This covers how you can become an instructional designer, including the most important models and theories of instructional design as well as the technology that will help you get a great start in this field.

Devlin Peck is the founder of DevlinPeck.com, where he helps people build instructional design skills and break into the industry. He previously worked as a freelance instructional designer and graduated from Florida State University.