There is a growing teacher retention and attrition crisis in rural Mississippi. Several factors are believed to contribute to this increasingly serious situation. Lack of teacher preparation, through teacher training programs, is believed to be the most important aspect of increasing teacher retention and decreasing attrition in rural Mississippi. Also believed to be a lack of management skills such as organization and time management, an unsupportive work environment such as lack of mentors and professional development, and accountability factors such as high-stakes testing and No Child Left Behind are factors that contribute to teacher retention and attrition respectfully (Troen & Boles, 2003). Over the next decade, we will need to hire 2.2 million new teachers, and no one knows where we will find them (Troen & Boles, 2003). Teachers are currently recruited from a pool of under-qualified and unprepared candidates. These candidates are then thrust into a situation without mentorship support or incentives for success. This may be one reason why half of new teachers leave teaching after their first five years of teaching. When teaching becomes a real profession, more academically capable people will be involved, universities will be forced to improve the quality of their education, and more trained teachers will enter the classroom and improve the profession (Troen & Boles, 2003). Until that happens, teacher quality will continue to decline and our children will continue to be left behind. The supply of teachers has usually been greater than the demand. This time is long gone. Statisticians predicted teacher shortages and researchers predicted well before the shortage actually occurred… half of article… and Smith, M. B. (1997). Beginning teachers: Are they still leaving the profession? The Clearing House, 70(4), 211. Retrieved from ProQuest.McHenry, A. (2009). Dissertations and theses. Retrieved March 28, 2011, from ProQuest: http://proquest.comMcLauren, S., Smith, W., & Smillie, A. (2009). Teacher retention: Problems and solutions. Retrieved from ERIC.Nichols, J. (2004). Teacher recruitment and interviewing in rural school districts: Protocol or potluck. The Rural Educator, 26(1), 40. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.Podsen, I. (2002). Teacher Retention: What's Your Weakest Link? Watch out for education. Troen, V., & Boles, K. (2003). Who teaches your children? Why the teacher crisis is worse than you think, and what can be done about it. Yale University Press.Tye, B.B., & O'Brian, L. (2002, September). Why experienced teachers leave the profession?