The handover line in this letter promises lesson plans, grades and materials ready for whoever takes your classes. Set the type of job to Teacher in the 2 week notice template to fill in your school, your principal and your last day.
Not legal advice. Check your contract and local law for notice rules.
What is different for teachers
A teaching contract usually runs for a school year, so timing matters more than it does in most jobs. Keep these in mind:
Contracts often set a deadline for resigning before the next school year.
The end of the school year is the cleanest time to leave.
Leaving midyear may need a release from the district.
Tell your principal before district HR and before your students hear.
Leave lesson plans, grades and materials ready for your replacement.
Keep a copy of the letter and any written reply from the district.
The letter itself follows the usual business-letter shape; if you want the reasoning behind each part, see how to write a resignation letter.
Before your last day, enter final grades, file or return student work, and leave lesson plans, class lists and materials where your replacement or department head can find them. A one-page note that says where everything is gives the next teacher a calmer start.
Ask your principal how and when students and families should hear the news, and wait for that before you tell your classes.
When to resign
Timing
What to check
End of the school year
The resignation deadline in your contract, which is often well before the year ends
Summer
Whether you have already signed next year's contract, and what it says about leaving
Midyear
Whether the district will release you from your contract, and on what terms
Districts set their own dates, so read your contract and the district's policy rather than relying on the two-week custom. If you are unsure, ask HR before you write the letter.
If you already have a new position lined up, try to resign as soon as it is confirmed in writing. The earlier the school knows, the better its chance of hiring before the next term, and the more goodwill you keep with colleagues who may one day be your references.
If you have to leave midyear, for example because your family is moving, talk to your principal before you write anything. The district may be able to agree a release date that works for your classes as well as for you, and the letter can then confirm it.
If you are retiring, the resignation letter is usually only one of the steps. Your district and your state's teacher retirement system may each have forms and deadlines of their own, so ask HR which ones apply to you before you write the letter.
Who should receive your letter
Address the letter to your principal and send a copy to district HR. Some districts also ask for a copy to the superintendent or a school board, especially for a midyear resignation; your district policy will say. A formal resignation letter in block format, with the district's address, is the safest layout when the letter goes to a board.
Tell your principal in person first if you can. It is a small courtesy that matters in a school, where your colleagues will plan around your classes.
Whoever receives it, keep the letter to one page: the date, your grade level or subject, your last day or the end of the school year, a line of thanks and what you will leave ready. Leave out complaints about the school or the district, since the letter stays in your personnel file.
Teacher resignation letter samples
Four letters for the end of the year, retirement, a career change and an email notice, each on a single page with a clear last day. For other jobs and reasons, browse the resignation letter examples.
1. End of the school year, new job
Use it when you are leaving at the end of the year for a new job.
[Date]
Dear [Manager's name],
Please accept this letter as my notice of resignation from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My last day will be [Last day]. I have accepted an offer for a new role elsewhere.
I am grateful for my colleagues and for the students I have had the privilege to teach.
I am happy to help with the transition, including preparing notes on each class for my replacement.
[Date]
Dear [Manager's name],
Please accept this letter as my notice of resignation from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My last day will be [Last day]. I have accepted an offer for a new role elsewhere.
I am grateful for my colleagues and for the students I have had the privilege to teach.
I am happy to help with the transition, including preparing notes on each class for my replacement.
I wish you and the staff all the best.
Best regards,
[Your name]
2. Teacher retirement letter
Use it when you are retiring from teaching.
[Date]
Dear [Manager's name],
I wanted to give you time to plan, so I'm letting you know now: I'm resigning from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My last day will be [Last day]. I'm retiring, and I'm looking forward to this next stage.
Thank you for your support and for the chance to teach such wonderful students. I've loved being part of this school.
I'll leave my lesson plans, grades and materials in good order so my classes are set up well for what comes next.
I'll miss my classroom and everyone here, and I wish you all the very best.
[Date]
Dear [Manager's name],
I wanted to give you time to plan, so I'm letting you know now: I'm resigning from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My last day will be [Last day]. I'm retiring, and I'm looking forward to this next stage.
Thank you for your support and for the chance to teach such wonderful students. I've loved being part of this school.
I'll leave my lesson plans, grades and materials in good order so my classes are set up well for what comes next.
I'll miss my classroom and everyone here, and I wish you all the very best.
Warm regards,
[Your name]
3. Leaving teaching for a new career
Use it when you are leaving teaching for a different field.
[Date]
Dear [Manager's name]:
I hereby submit my resignation from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My employment will end on [Last day]. I have chosen to make a change in my professional direction.
I am grateful for the opportunity to teach at this school and for the support of my colleagues.
I will ensure that my lesson plans, grades and instructional materials are complete and available to my successor.
I extend my best wishes to the faculty and staff for continued success.
[Date]
Dear [Manager's name]:
I hereby submit my resignation from my position as [Job title] at [Company]. My employment will end on [Last day]. I have chosen to make a change in my professional direction.
I am grateful for the opportunity to teach at this school and for the support of my colleagues.
I will ensure that my lesson plans, grades and instructional materials are complete and available to my successor.
I extend my best wishes to the faculty and staff for continued success.
Respectfully,
[Your name]
4. Teacher resignation email
Use it when you are moving and your principal takes notice by email.
Subject: Resignation notice, last day [Last day]
Dear [Manager's name],
I am writing to give my two weeks' notice. My last day will be [Last day]. I am moving to a new area.
Thank you for the support I have had at this school and for the chance to work with our students.
Before I leave, I will make sure lesson plans, grades and materials are organized and ready for whoever takes over my classes.
Subject: Resignation notice, last day [Last day]
Dear [Manager's name],
I am writing to give my two weeks' notice. My last day will be [Last day]. I am moving to a new area.
Thank you for the support I have had at this school and for the chance to work with our students.
Before I leave, I will make sure lesson plans, grades and materials are organized and ready for whoever takes over my classes.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
Questions
When should a teacher submit a resignation letter?
As early as your contract allows, ideally before the end-of-year deadline it sets. Many districts ask for notice well ahead of the next school year so they can hire. Check your contract and district policy for the exact date and for who must receive the letter, then give yourself a few days of margin.
Can a teacher resign in the middle of the school year?
Often only with the district's release from your contract. In some states, breaking a teaching contract can affect your license, so ask HR, and your union if you have one, before you decide. If a release is granted, get it in writing and keep a copy with your letter.
Who should a teacher send a resignation letter to?
Send it to your principal and to district HR, plus the superintendent where district policy asks for it. Tell your principal in person first if you can, so they hear it from you before the paperwork arrives, and ask HR which address or portal they want the letter sent to.
Do teachers need to give two weeks' notice?
Teaching contracts usually set their own terms, and they often ask for more than two weeks. Follow your contract and district policy rather than the two-week custom. If you need to leave sooner than your contract allows, ask HR about a release before you hand in your letter.
What should a teacher's resignation letter include?
Include your last day, a short thank you to your students and colleagues, and where your lesson plans, grades and materials will be. Keep it to one page and leave out complaints. The templates on this page already include a handover line for your classes, which you can edit to fit.
When should a teacher tell students and families about leaving?
After your principal and district HR know. Agree the timing and the wording with your principal, since the school may want to tell families itself, often near the end of the term. Telling students first can unsettle a class before there is a plan for who will take it over.
