An analysis was conducted on the employment history of teachers hired in the North Carolina public schools from 1979-80 school year through 1996. Over 81,000 new teachers were hired in this period. Overall, the loss by the end of the second teaching year is 15-18 percent. Male teachers are more likely to leave (20 percent versus 15 percent for females). High school teachers leave at a higher rate with 35 percent gone after 5 years versus 28 percent of elementary school teachers. The National Teacher Examination (NTE) test scores of teachers leaving are higher than those staying. Teachers from the bottom quartile of colleges are much more likely to stay than those from the top quartile (26 percent from lowest quartile leaving versus 44 percent from the top quartile). The differences in the average test scores of the leavers and the stayers may be a matter of concern if the NTE test scores are a significant determinant of teacher performance. The average score differences of leavers and stayers may indicate a failure to retain better qualified teachers in the system. The appendix provides 24 attrition matrices. (JLS)