This research Is there a national teacher shortage? A systematic examination of reports of teacher shortages in the United States | EdWorkingPapers demonstrates the incredible difficulties faced by policymakers who recognize a looming threat facing school leadership about staffing for the near and long terms in both gross demand and, within narrower definitions of demand (content areas – for example).  The researchers pulled together data from disparate state reporting channels, journalist-reporting and other evidentiary sources points to bring general suggestions and quantitative estimates to teacher demand across the states.  The suggestion here is that – even with the lack of comprehensive and complementary data/reporting, it appears that a shortage of teaching talent exists and has persisted for the last decade.  Moreover, the research and data suggests that assessing teacher demand would be hugely enhanced with common reporting logics across all states. It seems that the answer to the question about the depth of a teacher shortage awaits a better-systemic measuring approach…until then, this approach does an admirable job of getting to an answer.