For years, parents and policymakers have raised concerns about teacher shortages. These concerns escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic, amid reports of teachers leaving the profession, fewer new teachers entering, and schools struggling to hire teachers. The Explanatory Statement accompanying the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 includes a provision for the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine K-12 teacher shortages. This report examines (1) the prevalence of public K-12 teacher shortages and characteristics of the teacher workforce; (2) key recruitment and retention challenges contributing to shortages; and (3) the extent to which the US Department of Education's efforts address these key challenges.