There's been lots of focus on ineffective teachers and how school systems are removing them from classrooms. What's not gotten as much attention is how successful teachers quit after a short time because they just can't afford to live on a teachers salary.

A recent CNN story focuses on 47 year old Linda DeRegnaucourt. The high - level math teacher, decided to leave the Brevard County, Florida school system. DeRegnaucourt isn't trying to find another teaching position. There's no teaching positions that pay her enough to pay the bills. After 13 years the popular instructor earns just $38,000 a year. It's not enough. She's decided to become a nurse.

From CNN; "I hate to have to leave it," DeRegnaucourt said. "I really thought I was going to be that teacher, 65 years old and retiring from the education field. That's not going to happen."

A 2010 report by McKinsey & Company, notes that schools can't compete with the private sector. As a result, the annual teacher turnover rate in the U.S. is 14%, compared to 2-3% in other countries.

Although DeRegnaucourt found teaching challenging and rewarding, she had to deal with the reality of her finances. Here's a CNN story on her difficult decision to move on to her next career.