Barriers to mobility, particularly those imposed by state-level licensure procedures have received growing attention in the media and in reform discussions. Much of this attention is driven by shortages of teachers in some regions and subject areas and the fact that barriers to mobility make it more difficult for states to address such shortages…

Two decades ago, at a time when much of the country faced looming teacher shortages, a number of states invested in comprehensive strategies for strengthening the teaching profession. For example, and drawing upon recommendations from the National Commission on Teaching & America's Future, both California and North Carolina built statewide…

Improving the quality of the teacher workforce is high on the nation's education policy agenda, but school systems continue to face difficulties in staffing STEM and special education classrooms with qualified teachers. This article documents the mismatch between the supply and demand of STEM and special education teachers in Washington State,…

Empirical research on the supply and demand of math and science teachers finds some surprising results. The employment of qualified math and science teachers has more than kept pace with the demand, and most schools find qualified teachers for those positions. However, about a third of public schools--particularly high-poverty, high-minority, and…

The quality of the teacher in the classroom is the most important factor in raising student achievement, as Linda Darling-Hammond noted, and educators should offer their students nothing less than well-trained and well-supported teachers. Providing high-quality teachers is of particular importance in low-income communities of color, where the most…

Because of reduced enrollments in teacher education programs, higher standards for entering the profession, and a projected increase in the birth rate, a resurgence of demand for teachers is inevitable in the mid- to late-1980s. (Author/IRT)

Across America today, school districts face a problem of numbers: too many students, too few educators. In some areas, the shortage of classroom teachers is approaching crisis proportions. Attempts to address the problem of teacher supply have focused on either bringing new people into the field of education or keeping beginning teachers in the…

A first-person story of an educator who lost his job as principal of a tiny Eskimo settlement because he married an Eskimo woman. (JF)

How teacher oversupply and the financial squeeze affected one teacher wh6 resigned a job in order to pursue the doctorate. (Author)

Comments on the job placement activities at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. (IRT)

An older teaching faculty is to be prized. If the school system can develop policies that weed out weak teachers and retrain those who are surplus in their specialty, the financial strain may be offset by more acceptable educational productivity, with renewed community confidence and support. (Author)

A survey of superintendents in a nine-state region of the midwest indicates a shortage of good teachers in many areas. The predominant scarcity of teachers in all certification areas resides in rural districts. (Author/IRT)

Proposes a controversial method of dealing with teacher shortages: leave the classrooms vacant rather than using less qualified teacher substitutes. If the public were confronted with the problem of attracting high-quality teachers, citizens would pressure boards and legislatures to find long-term solutions for developing quality teachers. (MD)