Just how bad is our teacher shortage? "It's terrifying," says Scott Lempe, executive director of human resources for the Sarasota County School District. Lempe is referring more to Florida's shortage of 31,791 classroom teachers this fall than to Sarasota's anticipated shortage of 150 instructors. Manatee County is facing a shortfall of more than 500 teachers. Most critical is the lack of math and science teachers locally and around the state. And the shortage doesn't stop there. For the next 10 years, Florida will need 20,000 teachers a year.

The roots of the problem are described as the perfect statistical storm: the growing number of students coming to the state, the constitutional amendment that limits the number of students in a classroom and retiring baby boomer teachers. And, says Kathy Hebda, bureau chief for educator recruitment, development and retention for the Florida Department of Education, enrollment in Florida's education schools has been flat for the last 10 years. Last year Florida graduated fewer than 5,000 teachers. (Florida employs about 158,000 teachers right now.)

Further hampering efforts are the state's skyrocketing housing prices, which are outweighing the sunshine factor. "Housing prices have had an impact," says Hebda.

What all of this means is that Florida has to be aggressive in recruiting teachers. In 2004-05, the Florida Department of Education hired 7,000 teachers from out of state, mostly from states with a declining student population, such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and New York. The Sarasota School District makes 30 to 40 trips a year around the state to universities and colleges and travels out of state to Ohio, Illinois, New York and New Jersey, where there is a surplus of teachers.

Florida educators are also employing alternative ways to certify teachers, including using community colleges. The students must have a bachelor's degree already and can attend a community college for one intense year to acquire the skills they need in the classroom. Manatee Community College was one of the first colleges to begin offering the Alternative Program for Teacher Certification last September.

Hebda is confident the state will fill the spots in time for the 2006-07 school year, and that students will be served. "I feel like the teachers we get will be qualified," she says.

Lemke, who says next year Sarasota will be in fairly good shape, still worries about the long term. "The deeper you go into the pool, the lower the quality. By our third or fourth year of shortages, we're dipping into the pool. I worry about that."-Susan Burns

SOURCES OF 2004-05 TEACHER SHORTAGE

50 percent from termination (15,738 teachers needed)

37 percent from class-size amendment (11,821 teachers needed)

13 percent from growth (4,232 teachers needed)

BUSINESS CALENDAR

APRIL 5 "Good Morning, Greater Sarasota!" networking breakfast. 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Prime Financial Services/Advisors Planning Group, 2520 N. Tamiami Trail, Nokomis. Free for members, $5 for nonmembers. Call 955-2508 ext. 231.

APRIL 6 Greater Sarasota Chamber partners meeting, starting with a free continental breakfast at 7:45 a.m. at the Chamber Boardroom, 1945 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. Call 955-2508 ext. 234.

Greater Sarasota Chamber Business Connections networking event and mini-trade show. 5 to 7 p.m. at Hurricane Glass Shield, 4123 Clark Road, Sarasota. $5 for members, $15 for nonmembers. Call 955-2508 ext. 231 or RSVP online at www.sarasotachamber.org.

APRIL 9 Giving Hunger the Blues, to benefit All Faiths Food Bank, a focus charity of the Sarasota YPG. 1 to 5 p.m. on Hillview Street off Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. E-mail ddunn@allfaithsfoodbank.org for prices and information.

APRIL 11 Manatee Chamber Business After Hours 5 to 7 p.m. at the Crosley Mansion, 1 Seagate Drive, Sarasota. Members and nonmembers welcome. Call 748-4842 ext. 122.

APRIL 18 Florida Public Relations Association Professional Development Luncheon The Central West Coast Chapter honors the winners of the 2006 Local Image Awards. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Marina Jack, 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota. Call 953-FPRA or visit www.cwcfpra.com for details.

Greater Sarasota Chamber new member briefing 4 to 5 p.m. at the Chamber Boardroom, 1945 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. Call 556-4034.

APRIL 19 Wake Up Venice! 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Casey's Grill & Tavern, 900 Venetia Bay Blvd., Venice. Call 488-2236 or check www.venicechamber.com for prices and information.

Manatee Chamber Business After Business 5 to 7 p.m. at Stoneybrook Golf Club, 7900 Stone Harbour Loop, Bradenton. Members and nonmembers welcome. Call 748-4842 ext. 122.

APRIL 20 Manatee Chamber Coffee Club with complimentary breakfast. 7:45 to 9 a.m. at First America Bank, 2811 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. Call 748-4842 ext. 122.

Hob Nob.Sarasota Style Food and festivities from the Greater Sarasota Chamber. 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 Tamiami Trail S., Sarasota. Call 955-2508 ext. 239 for prices and information.