Three surveys conducted during the summer of 1996 examined why North Carolina teachers leave the profession. Two of the surveys, conducted by the Division of Human Resource Management, went to the personnel office of each school system and to teachers who left the profession in 1995-96. The third survey was an independent telephone survey, conducted at the request of the State Board, of over 1,000 teachers. Responses of personnel offices to the first survey indicated that retirement, relocation, and teaching elsewhere were the primary reasons teachers had left. Respondents identified six teaching areas with major shortages and noted that better compensation would help retain teachers. Responses to the teacher survey indicated that 37 percent of 2,079 responding teachers left because of retirement, loss of contract, health, or relocation, 42 percent took jobs not in education, and 21 percent transferred to other school systems. Issues influencing teachers' decisions to leave included student behavior, lack of administrative support, salary, and student motivation. Three-quarters of respondents added comments about their frustrations and suggested strategies that might have induced them to remain. The telephone survey identified pregnancy/child care as the primary reason for leaving, though administrative support and salary were also important factors. Incentives to remain included higher pay and lower class size. Issues cited in all three studies were student behavior/motivation, teacher compensation, class size, and administrative support. Three appendixes contain research methodology, sample disposition, and the survey. (SM)