The rural Northeast Alabama Consortium for Professional Development is composed of five local school systems and an institution of higher learning that have joined together to share resources and enhance educational opportunities for teachers and students. The Consortium was formed as a result of the impact of three major factors: the Alabama State Board of Education's resolutions requiring formal inservice programs forced local school districts to seek alternatives for providing quality staff development opportunities for teachers; factors related to geographic location and diverse needs forced some local school districts and institutions of higher learning to explore creative options for establishing good staff development programs at extended locations; and lack of funding for the statewide inservice plan required local school districts to seek ways to fund the mandated staff development programs. In three years of operation, nearly 3,000 persons have attended inservice sessions offered through the Consortium. The document provides general information on the purpose of the Consortium, design of workshops and delivery of instruction, services provided, and financing the Consortium. In addition, the Consortium is viewed from the perspective of a local education agency (LEA), the College of Education, and the Division of Continuing Education. Seven attachments provide additional information and program forms. (BRR)