Because Florida and the nation face a shortage of teachers, the Education Standards Commission designed a questionnaire "Teaching as a Career" to identify those aspects of teaching that are appealing and unappealing to Florida high school students (sophomores and seniors at public and private schools) and to learn what changes in the teaching profession would increase the attractiveness of teaching. The survey contained the following sections: (1) Demographic Information; (2) What Makes a Good Classroom Teacher? (3) Who Has Influenced You the Most? (4) What Aspects of Teaching Are Appealing to Young People? and (5) How I Feel about Teaching as a Career. From an analysis of the 2123 responses the following set of student beliefs about teachers and teaching was developed: (1) the salary for a beginning teacher is too low; (2) teacher work schedules would not encourage students to choose teaching as a career; (3) characteristics selected by students to describe a "good classroom teacher" were similar to behaviors identified by current research associated with improved student achievement; (4) teacher behaviors manifesting affective aspects of the teaching-learning process were among the most important characteristics of a good teacher; (5) more and newer equipment in schools is needed; (6) apparent lack of interest in learning by students was seen as a deterrent to a teaching career; (7) students do not show sufficient respect for teachers; and (8) ineffective teachers should leave teaching. Survey results and a detailed analysis of thinking pertinent to students' responses are presented. The major conclusions are accompanied by specific recommendations for state action that could lead to more students choosing teaching as a profession. The survey questionnaire is appended. (JD)