Connecting Faculty Development and Student Outcomes: Evidence from Faculty Professional Development in Two Community Colleges

Faculty play a pivotal role in shaping college student success, yet rigorous evidence linking faculty professional development to student outcomes remains limited. This study examines a faculty-led cohort-based professional development program aiming to improve instructional quality and enhance non-instructional student support in two community colleges using a difference-in-differences design. Drawing on two rounds of faculty surveys and student administrative data spanning from 2014–15 to 2017–18, we examined the effects of professional development participation on faculty and student outcomes. While participating faculty reported increased confidence in instruction, greater knowledge of campus services, and higher rates of student referral to some of these services, the effects on student outcomes were modest, with slight improvements in course completion and term-to-term persistence rates. We conclude with several recommendations for the design and assessment of faculty professional development programs, emphasizing the need for clear intended goals, alignment with appropriate assessment measures, and careful consideration of program duration and intensity.