It's no surprise there's a teacher shortage. Fields that have predominantly women underpay because there's still a perception that women should be "nice" and do some of the work for free. I work in the tech industry, but when I was in non-profits with 99% female staff, women were expected to volunteer to work for free on a regular basis. Sadly, it's very much the same with teachers. I constantly hear ridiculous statements such as, "teachers get summers off so they should volunteer every day after school". If teachers were predominantly men, you can bet we wouldn't be expecting free work from them. BTW, there is no expected free work in the tech industry, but there are long hours with the lure of buyouts and stock shares.

If I were a teacher instead of an engineer I don't think I'd work here. The cost of living is too high for anyone who hasn't made it big on stock. The only way a teacher can survive here is in near poverty or with a wealthy spouse. Meanwhile there are jobs where you can afford a real life. So unless the wealthy inmates of Mountain View want to start paying for pricing the teachers out of the market this is likely to continue. With Google aiming to hire thousands more engineers it is actually likely to get a lot worse.

"BTW, there is no expected free work in the tech industry, but there are long hours with the lure of buyouts and stock shares."

Of course there is expected free work. Even though I was employed as a contractor for a well-known and well regarded tech company (always listed as the top 10 best companies to work for) I was regularly asked to work more than 40 hours per week. I should have been paid overtime for the extra hours as I was not salaried, but I never was. I told my boss I was working more than 40 hours most weeks, and she said to just lie on my time sheet and only put down 40.

Getting certified in CA is ridiculously hard. I have years of teaching experience, a masters degree in Spe Ed, a current teacher certificate/license, and because it's from a different state, it's not accepted.
When I met with the county board office, I found I'd have to go back to graduate school and retake classes where I've already earned a degree. I simply am not looking to earn a second masters degree in special education. One degree is plenty in other states.

As Chris nailed it on the head:
"The only way a teacher can survive here is in near poverty or with a wealthy spouse."

If you don't think this statement reflects the reality - then you aren't living in reality.

It is baffling how so many so-called "smart" leaders in high tech and city councils can screw up the area so badly, but then I've met many a brilliant valley PhD who can deftly navigate advanced technical issues but can't figure out how the every-other-week recycling schedule works in Mountain View.

Large groups of those without a post-graduate education like those in retail, mechanical, or service jobs (or those who have done post-graduate work but aren't valued - like teachers), will be forced to leave soon. It's already started and very well covered, just be prepared to see a great acceleration of this process soon. Watch service levels decline and increasingly persistent "help wanted" signs turn dusty and faded with exposure.

Planning on applying to MVWSD (or other Bay Area districts) as a new teacher?

Make sure you have a ready exit strategy. It won't be your peers that cause you to leave, it won't be Common Core implementation, it won't be unreasonable parental pressures, a dysfunctional district office or board ... it'll be a much simpler issue: the salary that won't pay your bills.

There are a lot of places in California where you will make a living income (and get respect) starting out as a teacher, just not in the Silicon Valley. Sounds like a lot of teachers-to-be figured that out a while ago and switched their majors.