November 3, 2015

Andrea C. Baird, Program Officer
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Office of Postsecondary Education/Higher Education Programs
K Street Location, Room 6143
Washington, DC 20202
Dear Program Officer Baird:
This letter identifies the proposed designated 2015–16 teacher shortage areas for the
State of California. These shortage areas were calculated using the prescribed
methodology of federal regulation 34 Code of Federal Regulation 682.210(q)(6). The
enclosed table presents the analysis of the percentages of teacher shortages by subject
area.
The proposed designated 2015–16 teacher shortage areas for the State of California, in
priority order, are provided as follows:
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Self-Contained Class
Special Education including State Special Schools
English/Drama/Humanities
Mathematics/Computer Education
Science
History/Social Science
PE/Health/Dance

(1) The California Department of Education assures that written objective standards
were used in developing the proposed 2015–16 teacher shortage areas.
(2) The methodology used to determine the proposed designated 2015–16 teacher
shortages areas was accomplished by calculating the sum of number of FullTime Equivalent (FTE) teachers without full credentials or not in an approved
internship program and the number of estimated FTE new hires by subject area
divided by the total FTE teachers by subject area.
(3) California does not collect teacher information for private schools.

 Andrea C. Baird
November 3, 2015
Page 2

(4) None of the proposed teacher shortage areas exceed five percent of total FTE
teachers.
(5) The most current data available, data from the 2014–15 year, was used to
identify proposed teacher shortages areas for the 2015–16 year.
(6) Notification of principals in affected schools is not provided in California.
If you have questions regarding this subject, please contact Barbara Murchison,
Education Administrator, Educator Excellence Office, by phone at 916-319-0387 or by
email at bmurchison@cde.ca.gov.
Sincerely,
/s/ Lupita Cortez Alcalá
Lupita Cortez Alcalá, Deputy Superintendent
Instruction and Learning Support Branch
LCA:js
Enclosure