The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the decision-making process of a group of core elementary teachers in Illinois Metro East districts around attending professional development. 10 teachers from two Metro East districts were interviewed about their motivations, choices, and factors when considering what professional development to participate in. Additionally, answers to optional, open-ended anonymous survey questions included on the Illinois State Board of Education evaluation form were analyzed when available. The research found that teachers unanimously believed the relevance to their current teaching assignment is the most important factor. Additionally, earning Continuing Professional Development Units, personal choice, and their individual needs play a large role in their process. Traditional in-person professional development was the preferred method versus virtual if the teacher had intentions of learning new information for their current assignment. [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.]