Report Identifies Areas Where New York Is Short Of Teachers

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A new report examining New York's teacher shortage says it's mostly confined to a handful of subjects and geographic regions.

The New York State Schools Boards Association says hard-to-staff subjects include science, math, special education, bilingual education and technology. It says shortages are found mostly in New York City and smaller, rural districts.

The association released the report Wednesday after surveying New York districts and analyzing U.S. Education Department and other data.

It recommends aligning teacher preparation programs with areas of need and increasing salaries for teachers in hard-to-staff subjects.

The report also recommends recruiting bilingual teachers from outside the United States and implementing a certification process for qualified candidates in specific fields who don't have an education degree.