California's perennial shortage of fully prepared single-subject math and science teachers has been documented by many organizations, including CCST and the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning in the 2007 report Critical Path Analysis of California's Science and Mathematics Teacher Preparation System. SB 1660 (Romero) attempts to provide a means of addressing this issue by authorizing districts to offer extra pay to science and math teachers. The bill authorizes the use of up to 20% of specified categorical education program funds and general program purposes funds received by the district from the state "that are included in computations required by the constitutional minimum funding guarantee for the public schools may be used to compensate new and existing mathematics and science teachers in schools ranking in decile 1, 2, or 3 of the Academic Performance Index in a manner separate from the uniform allowance for years of training and years of experience." Schools ranked in deciles 1-3 on the API are considered to be priorities for the allocation of funds and resources to improve the quality of instructional materials, physical infrastructure, and staff; typically, these schools have higher percentages of underprepared science and mathematics teachers. The use of incentives to encourage teachers to take assignments in shortage areas such as science and math was a recommendation of the Critical Path Analysis.

Another bill intended to address the shortage of qualified teachers in California, AB 2517 (Portantino), would authorize the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to accredit educator preparation programs at a wider range of institutions beyond the higher education system, including school districts, county offices of education, or community-based or nongovernmental organizations. The intent of the bill is to expand the number of pathways available for prospective teachers to earn teaching credentials.