Debate about professional development for educators continues to grow, even as teachers’ sense of support declines. There is reason for cautious optimism: research increasingly recognizes a link between teacher training and student learning. The current challenge is not proving that connection, but finding a coherent, sustainable formula to improve this vital part of school culture. In recent years we have renamed professional development, introduced new measures of effectiveness, and experimented with varied delivery methods. While innovative, these changes have also contributed to fragmentation that limits impact.
Major studies—including reports from the Gates Foundation, TNTP, and Harvard—converge on one clear finding: professional development is falling short in the eyes of both administrators and teachers. Only 40 percent of teachers see value in PD activities (TNTP), and just 34 percent believe PD has improved (Gates Foundation). Teacher retention is also troubling: nearly half of new teachers leave before five years on the job. When this is viewed alongside a Gallup poll of one million students—roughly half of whom report feeling disengaged—patterns emerge that point to lost teacher autonomy and diminished educator input as side effects of our accountability-focused reforms.
It is unrealistic to expect teachers, without robust support, to reverse worrisome trends: high school dropout rates (more than one in four fail to graduate), low college readiness (fewer than 22 percent deemed ready, lower among minority students), and disappointing international achievement rankings (the U.S. has placed below countries such as Cuba and Mexico in some comparisons). At the same time, indicators of teacher well-being raise further concern: job satisfaction has dropped by nearly 25 percent, daily stress has increased roughly 50 percent, and the majority of informal learning occurs through colleagues on the job (Harvard Report). Given this context, the typical allocation of roughly 68 hours per year and $18,000 per teacher for PD is clearly inadequate.
Whether we label it job-embedded coaching, professional learning, or mentoring, PD must be better integrated with each school’s mission and vision. Delivery methods—video platforms, in-service days, self-directed learning, and professional learning communities—require continuous validation to ensure a stronger return on investment. Likewise, our measures of effectiveness (standardized test results, self-reports, competency-based assessments) need to prioritize both student and teacher engagement as central indicators of success.
Teacher autonomy is another essential factor. U.S. Department of Education research (Stats in Brief, 2015) shows that teachers’ perceived autonomy is low, especially in lower-income schools. This has fueled interest in heutagogy—self-determined learning—as a model worth exploring, provided it aligns with organizational goals. Volition, engagement, and instructional excellence are interconnected and should form the foundation of any school’s PD planning.
Designing effective professional development means balancing individual needs for autonomy with organizational responsibilities to meet district, state, and federal standards. These needs are distinct but related. To guide schools in building a focused and practical PD system, consider organizing training and growth around four complementary dimensions:
- Professional Engagement (awareness and processes)
- Professional Learning (skills, knowledge, and theory)
- Organizational Mandates (required compliance training)
- Behavioral Health (wellness and resilience)
Professional Engagement covers classroom management, responding to challenging behavior, constructive family interactions, and self-awareness in relation to these groups. Engagement also includes collaboration with colleagues and administrators and strategies to keep students invested in their learning. Gallup’s findings—that only about half of students feel engaged, while one in five are actively disengaged—underscore why engagement must be a central focus. For school leaders, this dimension addresses culture, climate, and the systems that support teacher and student well-being.
Professional Learning moves toward competency-based models that focus on measurable teacher growth as well as student outcomes. This area includes academic instruction aligned to standards, STEM integration, and content-specific pedagogy. Historically, PD in this area has often lacked coordination between district priorities and individual teacher goals; building that alignment will make learning more relevant and effective.
Organizational Mandates encompass required trainings such as bloodborne pathogen protocols, anti-bullying procedures, emergency health responses, and similar compliance topics. These courses are necessary but frequently delivered in ways that fail to foster long-term learning or teacher buy-in. Reimagining how mandates are taught—with practical application, interactivity, and relevance—can improve both compliance and school cohesion.
Behavioral Health covers emotional and physical wellness for educators. The private sector has long connected employee wellness to productivity; schools are increasingly adopting wellness practices such as mindfulness, nutrition education, and stress management. Supporting teachers’ mental and physical health boosts their capacity to engage students and sustain high-quality instruction.
A balanced PD strategy blends all four dimensions. Neglecting any one area can lead to ambivalence, resentment, disengagement, or behaviors that undermine school culture. Recent NYU Research Alliance work reinforces what many educators know intuitively: a healthy school culture strongly correlates with improved student achievement. In practice, this creates a positive feedback loop linking student engagement, teacher development, and organizational health.
Integrating engagement, targeted learning, required training, and wellness into a coherent professional development approach offers the best chance of strengthening school culture and improving student outcomes. When PD addresses both individual teacher needs and institutional goals, schools are more likely to retain talent, boost morale, and increase meaningful learning for students.
Author
Dr. Jared Scherz is a clinical psychologist, author of five books on schools, and founder of TeacherCoach, a professional development platform that integrates the four dimensions of PD to help schools move toward financial sustainability and stronger educator support.