The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), in conjunction with local school systems (LSS) and institutions of higher education (IHE), has conducted an annual educator supply and demand study since 1986, the original purpose of which was to determine critical teacher shortage areas. Although data are collected annually, since 2008 the report has been published biennially. This latest "Maryland Teacher Staffing Report, 2016-2018," provides data on teacher candidates completing programs at IHEs that have Maryland Approved Programs (MAP) and in Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Programs (MAAPP). The report also includes the hiring data and projected needs of the LSSs. In addition, each data set includes demographic data of the candidates. In 2015, at the direction of the Maryland State Board of Education (hereafter, the State Board), the MSDE Division of Educator Effectiveness (DEE) which produces this report, in collaboration with the Maryland Assessment Research Center (MARC), adopted a revised formula for determining critical shortage areas. This formula provides an updated and simplified methodology for analyzing the data referenced above and for applying that formula using the posted criteria. Analysis is based on actual data rather than survey data, with the exception of LSSs' projections of need.