Is pandemic stress causing teachers to leave the profession?

BISMARCK, N.D. – Stress from the COVID-19 Pandemic is causing many teachers across the country to either consider leaving the profession or even retire early.

However, that isn’t the case in Bismarck schools.

Twenty teachers are retiring this year, which is a pretty average number for the district.

“We have not had anybody particularly say it was due to COVID, that they’re retiring, a lot of them it’s just they’ve had their years and are ready to move on to something different,” said BPS HR manager Stacey Geiger.

The Bismarck district has just over 1,100 teachers, and they are looking to hire more.