State laws and regulations can either help or hinder the ability of school districts to hire effective teachers for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. State officials wanting to tackle this critical problem need to begin with a thorough review of relevant policies, asking themselves: "Are we part of the problem, and how do we become part of the solution?" This report presents five steps that states can take to improve the quality and quantity of its K12 math and science teachers: (1) raise standards for what it takes to get into an education school; (2) improve the quality of undergraduate preparation; (3) recognize the need for creative and diverse solutions; (4) send qualified teachers to the schools that most need them; and (5) remember it is the PK-12 system which produces future STEM teachers. (Contains 26 endnotes.)