As the COVID-19 pandemic ended, the number of teachers leaving the profession soared resulting in a teacher shortage that is crippling schools. Public education is faced with unstaffed classrooms, uncertified teachers, and students missing quality instruction. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to illuminate the experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic that led to educators in South Carolina exiting the profession. Using Maslach's burnout theory as a guiding theoretical framework, qualitative data was collected during ten in-depth interviews with former South Carolina educators. Ten participants were chosen using purposive sampling and the following selection criteria: at least eight years of teaching experience in a South Carolina public school, taught at some point during the pandemic, and left the teaching profession. The overall research question was, "What were the experiences that led teachers to exit the profession before and during the COVID-19 pandemic?" with sub-questions regarding the effect of the pandemic and burnout on teacher attrition. Interviews resulted in detailed data that was analyzed for major themes. Multiple major themes were identified before and during the pandemic that led to teachers leaving the profession. Lack of support from the administration, lack of professional autonomy, and increased stress were the most consistent themes before and during the pandemic. Implications include these factors contributing to burnout, specifically the components of emotional exhaustion and lack of personal accomplishment from Maslach's burnout theory. Recommendations for future practice are for administrators to develop trusting relationships with teachers and for the South Carolina State Department of Education to provide educators with a voice in decisions that affect them and their students. Future research should include larger-scale research studies on teacher attrition and the effect of state politics. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]