The Pathways to Teaching Careers Program was evaluated using surveys and performance assessment data over the course of six and a half years, beginning in 1994. 

Although the evaluation was divided into components—summative, process, and formative—this report focuses on the summative component. Results of the formative and process evaluations are described in other reports.

The summative evaluation was designed to collect data over a six-year period to answer the following questions: 

1. Did the Pathways Program meet its overall recruitment goals? 
2. Have Pathways participants remained in the program through completion and certification? Once they completed the program, did they work in targeted districts?
3. Are Pathways graduates good teachers? 
4. Do Pathways graduates remain in teaching longer than the typical novice teacher? 

To answer these questions, the researchers collected data mainly through surveys of participants, program staff, teaching supervisors, and principals. Performance assessment data were also collected by evaluation staff. To this end, five surveys were administered each year. In years four and five, the researchers collected data on Pathways graduates who had completed the program three or more years earlier to determine their retention in teaching over a three year period.  Details regarding the methods used in the evaluation, including descriptions of the surveys, response rates, and analysis of survey data, are given in the full report, Evaluation of the Pathways to Teaching Careers Program.