This study investigated whether student achievement outcomes in an Illinois suburban high school district differed when students were instructed by teachers with varying backgrounds, including those with and without previous teaching experience; those who did and did not coach; those who did and did not sponsor an activity; and those with and without one or more graduate degrees. This high school district was comprised of approximately 6,700 students across three comprehensive high schools in a suburban community approximately 40 miles outside of Chicago. Several years of hiring and student performance data were used, including teacher transcripts and applications, and student grades, final exam scores, and standardized assessment scores. Multiple MANOVA tests were completed to evaluate whether differences existed in one or more of these areas of inquiry. The results of this investigation found that all four variables -- teaching experience, coaching, sponsoring an activity, and teacher education level -- impacted student outcomes throughout teachers' tenure in the sample district. However, these impacts were subject-dependent. For example, student outcomes were statistically significantly better in English classes when taught by master's-level teachers and by teachers who were coaches; however, that was not the case for student outcomes in social studies classes, where previous teaching experience mattered most and where student outcomes were statistically significantly higher for students taught by non-coaches. These results support the practice of school administrative teams considering teacher candidate backgrounds when making hiring decisions for vacancies in particular departments (e.g., mathematics). [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]