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States' Uneven Teacher Supply Complicates Staffing of Schools

By now, the number has been repeated so often it's become a mantra: more than 2 million teachers. That's how many the U.S. Department of Education estimates schools will need to hire in the next decade.

But the daunting figure doesn't mean the nation is suffering from a teacher shortage. Some Sun Belt and fast-growing states, to be sure, are scrambling to find teachers. Others, though, consistently produce many more than they can hire.

Even within states, the employment picture can differ dramatically. Some districts have hundreds of applicants for every job, while others in less desirable areas and with lower pay...