What are shortage areas?

The CT State Department of Education (CSDE) identifies certification shortage areas each year based on the vacancies reported by public school districts.

What shortage areas have been identified for the 2020-21 School year?

The following certification endorsements are identified as shortage areas for the 2020-21 academic year:

Connecticut Teacher Shortage Areas for 2020-21
Certification Endorsement	Grades	Shortage Area Designation
Bilingual Education	PreK-12	Statewide
Mathematics	4-12	Statewide
Special Education*	PreK-12	Statewide
School Library and Media Specialist	PreK-12	Alliance Districts only**
School Psychologist	PreK-12	Statewide
Science	4-12	Statewide
Speech and Language Pathologist	PreK-12	Statewide
Technology Education	PreK-12	Alliance Districts only
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)	PreK-12	Statewide
World Languages	7-12	Statewide

* The Special Education shortage area designation comprises Partially Sighted, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Blind, and Comprehensive Special Education teaching endorsement codes.

** The Alliance District program is a unique and targeted investment in Connecticut’s 33 lowest-performing districts. Connecticut General Statute Section 10-262u establishes a process for identifying Alliance Districts and allocating increased Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funding to support district strategies to dramatically increase student outcomes and close achievement gaps by pursuing bold and innovative reforms.