The purpose of this study was to examine the factors impacting teacher attrition in high-performing and low-performing elementary rural schools in South Carolina. Several factors were identified that interfered with teachers returning to the teaching profession. School districts in rural areas need to be better informed of the factors that affect teacher attrition in high performing and low-performing schools. This study focused on three independent variables that were examined through data analysis. They were the settings, gender, and current factors impacting teacher attrition in South Carolina rural public schools. Research was documented on concerns over the astonishing number of teachers that were leaving the classroom in the next decade. An innovative teacher system must be put into place now (Podesta, 2007). The task of attracting teachers to rural school districts and retaining them has long been a challenge for the rural school districts (AEL Policy Brief, 2003). The target population for this study included six schools from three rural school districts. Three of the schools accomplished the task of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); and three did not meet AYP (South Carolina Department of Education, 2010). The demographics of the schools are parallel in several ways: student population, poverty level, and rural location. The study was conducted via a quantitative methodology procedure. The research design investigated the factors affecting teacher attrition in rural public schools. A 39-item instrument with three parts was advanced by the researcher and based on a wide-range review of the literature pertaining to perceptions of teachers leaving the teaching profession. The survey instrument was distributed to teachers at six randomly, selected schools in rural school districts. A sample of 120 participants worked in South Carolina rural public schools. After administering the survey, the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics that pertained to factors that influenced teacher attrition in high and low-performing schools in rural districts. This study was directed by four research questions: 1. What are the current factors impacting teacher attrition in elementary rural public schools? 2. To what extent do the factors affect teachers by gender in high and low-performing elementary schools in rural districts? 3. To what extent do the factors affect teachers by race in high and low-performing elementary schools in rural districts? 4. Are there any significant differences in the perceptions affecting teacher attrition in high and low-performing elementary schools in South Carolina rural districts? The study revealed that factors affected teacher attrition: the overall expectations of faculty members by administrators, low salaries not increasing, and teacher preparation not being up to par. There were significant differences in perceptions affecting teacher attrition in high and low-performing schools among four factors: the availability of student access to computers at school is sufficient; teacher preparations is not up to par; the pressure to focus on accountability; and teachers planning to leave their teaching positions for teaching positions in other schools within their school district. The Conceptual Framework identified the main factors that influenced teachers to stay or leave the teaching profession in high and low-performing rural elementary schools. The representation delineated how factors can assist a teacher in deciding whether to stay in the classroom or leave the teaching profession all together. [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://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]