Teacher Job Satisfaction and Mathematics Achievement in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A Multilevel Analysis of TIMSS Data

ABSTRACT Large‐scale assessments such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) provide valuable opportunities to examine factors associated with academic achievement across educational contexts. Using TIMSS 2023 data from Bosnia and Herzegovina, this study examined the association between teacher job satisfaction and students' mathematics achievement while controlling for socioeconomic status (SES) and gender. Data were analyzed using three‐level hierarchical linear modeling to account for the nested structure of students within classrooms and schools. Mathematics achievement was represented by the five TIMSS plausible values, and parameter estimates were pooled using Rubin's rules. Results showed that both individual and school‐level SES were strong positive predictors of mathematics achievement, while boys scored slightly higher than girls. School socioeconomic composition emerged as the strongest predictor in the models. Teacher job satisfaction showed a small but statistically significant positive association with achievement after controlling for socioeconomic factors and school climate indicators. In contrast, perceptions of safe and orderly schools and school emphasis on academic success were not significantly associated with achievement. These findings highlight the importance of socioeconomic context in shaping educational outcomes while suggesting that teacher job satisfaction may represent an additional factor associated with students' mathematics achievement.