(a) The Commissioner of Education shall annually, by December first, determine subject and geographic areas in which a teacher shortage exists and shall certify such shortages to the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority for purposes of § 8-265pp. In determining teacher shortages, the commissioner shall consider the following: (1) The number of teacher vacancies in a particular subject or geographic area; (2) the number of new certificates in such areas issued by the Department of Education during the preceding year; and (3) the number and types of classes being taught by persons whose training is not specific to the field in which they are teaching.

(b) The Department of Education shall annually, by March first, electronically distribute to the president of every institution of higher education in this state offering a teacher preparatory program information concerning teacher shortage areas, determined pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, for at least the prior five years.