Absence Unexcused: Ending Teacher Shortages in High-Need Areas. Evaluating the Pathways to Teaching Careers Program.

The Pathways to Teaching Careers Program was evaluated over the course of 6 years. The program worked with colleges and universities to develop effective strategies for recruiting and preparing teachers to complete all requirements for teacher certification leading to full-time jobs. Partnerships between the universities and local school districts ensured that the new teachers were being prepared for assignments that the schools really needed. In turn, the districts agreed to help place graduates in high-need schools. This evaluation of Pathways surveyed participants, program staff, teaching supervisors, and principals to examine whether it met its recruitment goals, retained participants in the program through certification, graduated good teachers, and helped retain teachers. Results indicated that Pathways surpassed its numeric recruitment goals, showing that a significant pool of qualified non-traditional candidates exists. The completion rate for Pathways participants was higher than the national rate for students in traditional preservice programs. Pathways graduates taught in the targeted school districts or schools at very high rates. Graduates were perceived by their supervisors, principals, and an independent assessor to be more effective as teachers than typical beginning teachers. Pathways graduates were more likely to remain in teaching for at least 3 years than typical beginning teachers. (Contains 14 references.) (SM)