California will need a stable, high-quality teacher workforce to weather the COVID-19 crisis and support student learning in the coming years. However, persistent and worsening teacher shortages threaten the state's ability to meet that need. Teacher shortages, which are often most acute in high-need fields and high-need schools, more severely impact students from low-income families and students of color, with significant implications for school stability and student achievement. Early evidence suggests that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could further worsen California's already-critical teacher shortages. Through interviews of a sample of California superintendents and human resources administrators, this study investigates the role COVID-19 has had on key aspects of teacher supply and demand, including resignations, retirements, turnover, vacancies, and new teacher credentials. Leaders from eight of the largest California districts were interviewed, representing districts that serve nearly 1 in 6 California students. In addition, the study included leaders from nine small, rural districts because research shows these types of districts often have additional challenges recruiting and retaining teachers. Five key findings emerged from an analysis of common themes raised in these interviews: (1) Teacher shortages remain a critical problem; (2) Teacher pipeline problems are exacerbated by teacher testing policies and inadequate financial aid for completing preparation; (3) Teacher workload and burnout are major concerns; (4) Growing retirements and resignations further reduce supply; and (5) Teacher residencies and preparation partnerships have proved important to recruitment.