WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – Kansas is seeing a surge this summer of teachers leaving for jobs in other states, while many more are deciding to retire early or get out of education altogether.

The exodus comes amid a backdrop of cuts in classroom spending, uncertain school financing and eroding job protections.

The Kansas State Board of Education will hear Tuesday a presentation on “exit trend data” for this past school year. Preliminary numbers are already raising alarm.

According to data released by Kansas State Department of Education, at least 3,720 Kansas teachers have left the state, retired or taken jobs outside of education after this past school year, a huge jump from the 2,150 who did so just a couple of years ago.