Each school year, the DOE determines the license areas where there is a citywide shortage of teachers. If your school has a vacancy in one of those license areas, and you possess that particular license and have at least three years of experience, you may volunteer to teach up to five additional periods per week in lieu of your preparation period for additional pay (which is also pensionable). If the DOE gives its written approval, you must be paid at the contractual rate of pay for a shortage area, which is found in Article 7-O of our contract. If you teach an additional class, your professional period is used as a preparation period.