Examining the relationship between multiple facets of professional development and teacher job satisfaction in the United States

Using data from the 2018 U.S. Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), this study examined the relationship between five aspects of professional development (PD) – teacher participation in different formats, content, duration, quality, and barriers to participation – and teacher job satisfaction. Our multilevel model results indicate that quality of PD consistently has a significant relationship with an increase in teacher job satisfaction and barriers to participation in PD persistently have a negative relationship to teacher job satisfaction. Our findings suggest that teachers value opportunities to engage in PD and that providing PD activities that include characteristics leading to positive qualities is crucial to enhance teacher job satisfaction through PD.