From the news report: "Longstanding shortages, which are often most acute in high-need fields and high-need schools, appear to be growing more severe due to a range of pandemic-related factors, including rising early retirements and resignations and a reduced pipeline of incoming teachers, according to new research by the Learning Policy Institute. In California and across the country, many districts are meeting hiring needs with teachers who have substandard credentials and permits or increasingly relying on substitute teachers, who are also in short supply. That matters because the failure to recruit and retain well-prepared teachers undermines student achievement, with the most severe impacts on students from low-income families and students of color. It also jeopardizes school reopening because in-person learning may require a greater number of teachers to accommodate physical distancing or provide intensive tutoring."