Research suggests that heterogeneity in the racial and gender composition of groups can negatively influence group dynamics and group functioning. Given their diverse populations, urban schools are particularly susceptible to racial and cultural interactions that may support this body of research. These interactions potentially occur between teachers and principals, teachers and teachers, and teachers and students.

This dissertation is a secondary data analysis of White and Black urban public school teachers using data taken from the restricted use 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). It examines the effects of relational demography on teacher job satisfaction adjusting for other known determinants of job satisfaction specified in a modified version of the Price-Mueller model of voluntary turnover. This model has been expanded to include a set of racial and gender congruency items between teachers and principals, teachers and teachers, and teachers and students which are indicators of relational demography. In addition, interactions between relational demography and teacher work-related attitudes are examined in order to illustrate potentially moderating effects of relational demography on teacher job satisfaction. Findings from the multivariate analyses in this dissertation support a body of literature linking school and teacher demographics as well as work-related attitudes (e.g. supervisor support, autonomy, procedural justice, job stress, and teacher-student relations) to job satisfaction. Findings from this dissertation also substantiate the hypothesis that certain dimensions of relational demography do, in fact, matter—and may matter more for White teachers than Black teachers in urban schools.