In a world where teacher turnover is wreaking havoc in classrooms, it’s time for universities to step up their game. Universities should offer a dual certification in education and real estate could be just the ticket to facilitate teacher “next job” planning before they even set foot in the classroom.

The Exodus

Once the noble calling for passionate individuals, teaching now challenges educators to think twice about whether their next desk should be in a classroom or an open house. With North Carolina’s teacher turnover hitting an all-time high of 11.5% (an increase from 7.8% if you can believe it), it’s clear that we’re sending more teachers packing than ever before! The McKinsey report shows that one-third of K-12 educators are plotting their escape routes even before school starts—might be worth thinking about cultivating those real estate skills during college so they can sell houses while reminiscing about their glory days spent battling unruly middle schoolers.

The Siren Song of Real Estate

As we increasingly treat education as a business, there’s no shortage of growth charts, quantitative data, and those fancy EVASS value-added reports. Teachers spend a few years in the classroom and decide, “Hold up! That’s not a business I want to be in!” Instead of helping students unlock their potential, it sometimes feels like educators are being asked to track KPIs and press for profit margins. So let’s make sure amid all these business-like antics in education that we don’t lose sight of what really matters—loving learning. Because if we’re just crunching numbers instead of nurturing bright minds, then what are we even doing?

Ah, the glamorous world of real estate! To a beleaguered ex-teacher, it must seem like a dream where every day is an adventure.  It’s a profession that beautifully merges independence and financial growth potential. Before they find themselves dodging pitchforks and arrows from the community or feeling the wrath of taxpayers questioning why they just taught a class on existentialism, wouldn’t it be delightful if universities tossed them a lifeline? A career pivot? Absolutely! If wrangling eight-year-olds through long division doesn’t sound enticing (and statistics suggest it really doesn’t), then selling homes suddenly starts to look like an absolute blast. Forget cranky parents and state-mandated testing; these former educators would be trading wild tales about staging tactics and market trends over coffee instead.

So, while universities scramble to fill those empty desks left by the great teacher exodus, how about adding dual certification programs? Because nothing screams “disenchanted educator” quite like shouting “location location location” alongside carefully crafted lesson plans! Picture these multitasking professionals strutting into the housing market packed with educational wisdom and stylish exit strategies. Who knows? We might just witness real estate becoming the new teaching field—where life lessons meet house-hunting delight each week!

What Happened to the Passion for Teaching?

Passion for Teaching—a calling so profound that teachers step into classrooms to  sprinkle dreams and knowledge like confetti, believing they’re on a noble quest to mold young minds. But after a few blown tires, they learn that mechanics aren’t too impressed when you try to pay for tire repairs with heartfelt anecdotes about student growth. When the tires blow, the mechanic won’t take passion. They want cash.

If you think teaching is all about inspiring hearts and minds, think again! Teachers are now expected to treat their jobs like high-stakes corporate gigs—where objectives include meeting benchmarks while still somehow finding time to teach kids the art of polite conversation over lunch. Except here’s the twist: most business jobs pay better than what most educators are raking in. Let’s just say if teaching were a stock option, investors would be sweating bullets right about now because teachers don’t want their passion project turned business. That came with hefty tuition fees but zero returns. So while the world may write songs about passionate educators, the reality is they might as well be serenading them at a job fair offering less drama and more dollars!

Citations and Further Reading

Choi, A. (2025). Teachers are calling it quits amid rising school violence, burnout and stagnating salaries. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/31/us/teachers-quitting-shortage-stress-burnout-dg

Cohen, G, (2022). Why teachers are burning out and leaving districts scrambling to fill jobs. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/31/us/teachers-shortage-burnout-vacancies/index.html

Ram, S., Scott, D. &  Williams, C. (2023). US K-12 educators are thinking of leaving their jobs | McKinsey. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/k-12-teachers-are-quitting-what-would-make-them-stay?stcr=9AE590C3806844C5A1E53A82DBA59FE3&cid=other-eml-alt-mip-mck&hlkid=4d34becf99204e849ca0ef95ea63e3a7&hctky=12081496&hdpid=53136950-4f2a-41da-b019-231761adef29&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#/

Walkenhorst , E.  (2025). NC teacher turnover is rising. Why experts say pay alone isn’t the solution. WRAL News. https://www.wral.com/story/nc-teacher-turnover-is-rising-why-experts-say-pay-alone-isn-t-the-solution/21449364/

WRAL. (2022). After years of unprecedented shortages, are teachers prepared for North Carolina’s ambitious education goals? https://www.wral.com/story/after-years-of-unprecedented-shortages-are-teachers-prepared-for-north-carolina-s-ambitious-education-goals/20632236/