Teacher shortage across the country leaves gaps, and it may get worse.

Byline: Tom Perrin

KANSAS CITY, Mo._ If Jim Tinsley could hire the most sought-after candidates in the pool of teaching prospects, he would.

But that's not the way it works for the principal of Washington High School in the Kansas City, Kan., School District, where a teacher shortage has left holes everywhere.

Two-thirds of the way through the school year, the area's third-largest district (behind Kansas City and Shawnee Mission) still is unable to find state-certified teachers to fill about 70 positions. That has left the education of hundreds of students to substitute teachers.

About 35 additional teaching positions that were open on the first day of classes have been filled.

"Most people, because of perceptions, want to see if a school somewhere else gives them an offer before they come to us," said Tinsley, who has worked at Washington, in western Kansas City, Kan., since 1968. "We're not their first choice."

The situation is complicated by a growing nationwide teacher shortage that is most pronounced in rapidly growing areas of the Sun Belt and in urban districts, such as Kansas City and Kansas City, Kan.,…