The teaching jobs that are in high demand include teaching in subject areas like STEM, Billingual Education and Special Education. You’ll have more job opportunities — and make a bigger impact — teaching in a state-designated shortage area.  

Connecticut shortage areas include:

• Bilingual Education, PreK-12
• History and Social Studies, 4-12
• Mathematics, 4-12
• Special Education
• School Psychologist, PreK-12
• School Library and Media Specialist, PreK-12
• Science, 4-12
• Speech and Language Pathologist, PreK-12
• Technology Education PreK-12
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), PreK-12
• World Languages, 7-12

These shortage areas have been approved by the CT State Department of Education (CSDE) and are eligible for certain perks and financial benefits.

Why are these “shortage areas”?

Teachers will always be in demand! For some subjects, that’s even more true. But why is that?

• They are less familiar subjects
• Some subjects require more teachers
• The population is shifting
• Fewer math and science candidates

Salaries for Connecticut Teachers

Connecticut has plenty to offer teachers. First year teachers make $49,860, and the state average is $86,511! (2) In Connecticut, like most states, starting salaries vary by district. They also may depend on your experience. You’ll earn a higher starting salary with a master’s degree than you will with a bachelor’s.

Benefits for Shortage Area Teachers

Teachers in shortage areas often qualify for extra financial aid and other perks. Many schools also offer additional pay or signing bonuses to teachers working in these subjects. The Connecticut Teachers Mortgage Assistance Program offers lower interest rate loans to help teachers in subject shortage areas become homeowners.

Benefits for All Teachers

In Connecticut, teachers receive comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance—plus secure retirement plans and vacation time. There are a number of ways you can increase your teaching salary, including advanced degrees, leading extracurriculars and pursuing advanced certifications or meeting performance benchmarks.

In a teaching residency, you’ll work full-time as a resident teacher in a school and work toward your certificate through a teacher preparation program. You’ll also take classes, have one-on-one mentors, and meet other certification requirements. Apprenticeships generally last at least one full school year. They are also usually meant to help districts staff harder-to-fill positions in subjects such as STEM and special education.

With a residency, you’ll earn a salary or hourly income and this experience meets your student teaching requirement. Residencies are generally meant for mature educators with a bachelor’s degree who may have classroom experience and just need their official teaching certification.

You can learn more about the benefits of Connecticut Teacher Residency Programs.

A paraeducator works in a classroom under an assigned teacher.  What they do varies depending on the school's needs, the grade level, and what the students need on any given day. 

Typical work for a paraprofessional might include:

• Working one-on-one with students to reinforce the day's lessons and answer questions.
• Taking attendance.
• Grading assignments.
• Setting up the classroom for projects and presentations.
• Supervising kids during recess or on school trips.
• Developing lessons.

Being a substitute allows you to work in more than one type of classroom. You can gain experience in a wide variety of subjects. Substitute teaching also provides valuable skills for the classroom, such as problem-solving, time management, and experience working with kids.

Substitute teachers usually need a bachelor’s degree. However, if you are hired without one, the district can waive this requirement.

• Without a bachelor’s degree, you won’t be permitted to substitute for more than 60 days in a school year.
• With a bachelor’s degree, you are eligible for long-term substitute teaching if you have 12 credits in the subject you are substitute teaching for, permitting you to substitute teach for more than 60 days.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you may be able to teach full-time, with salary and benefits, while working towards your certification under a Durational Shortage Area Permit, or DSAP. 

To be eligible for a DSAP, you must: 

• Be enrolled in any state-approved teacher preparation program
• Want to teach in a subject area where teachers are most needed (shortage area)
• Apply to a Connecticut public school teaching job
• Receive support from your prep program and employing school district to apply for the permit