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Contract term question
Let's say you sign an annual contract for your position. You sign the contract for the following year's employment but continue looking. You then get a job that you want to take for the following year. If you take the new job would you be in violation of your agreement even though the new contract term has not yet begun? Does it matter if you reside in an "at will" state?
To clarify: you are under contract for year 1 and sign a contract for year 2 but that term doesn't start for six weeks. You continue looking and find a job that is better for year 2 and you want to accept it. Does your acceptance of the other job violate the terms of your agreement so long as you work out the duration of your contract for position in year 1 (current job)? FWIW your contract talks about termination only if you are in the term of the agreement ('11-'12 is current year and '12-'13 is year 2).
Re: Contract term question
What are the employment laws in your state? If it's 'at will' employment, may be fine. Either way, review the contract, it's hard to imagine there isn't a provision that allows for resignation.
Living in an "at will" employment state gives you certain rights in the ABSENCE of a contract. If you have a contract, and you do, the contract controls.
You can often buy your way out of a contract. Everything can be negotiated.
Read the contract very carefully. I've seen employment contracts that have resignation provisions, contracts that integrate the employee handbook that contains resignation provisions, and contracts that are completely silent.
Look for a damages provision. There should be some sort of "penalty" for breaking the contract, but I've definitely seen contracts without that. If there is no penalty for breaking the contract, well...then there's no penalty for breaking the contract.
Don't forget to look for a non-compete clause.
Maybe you should have a lawyer advise you of your options.
Anything you can achieve through hard work, you could also just buy.