The strong emphasis on staff development stems, at least in part, from studies of innovation that profilerated in the wake of "A Nation at Risk" (1983). Current guidelines for staff development provide specific information about instructional strategies that promote student achievement, and the kinds of interventions that help teachers master those strategies. This Research Brief summarizes the recent literature on staff development, focusing on 5 strategies that emerged in the late 1980s. In particular, it looks at staff development from the viewpoint of School Based Management/Shared Decision Making (SBM/SDM), which the New York City Schools have been attempting to introduce. The five strategies that are the focus of this brief are: (1) the importance of staff development for promoting student achievement; (2) linking research and practice, often through joint inquiry on a particular issue; (3) collaborative models, such as coaching and teamwork; (4) changing the culture of the organization toward collaborative work structures that encourage more interdependence among teachers; and (5) helping teachers meet the challenges of SBM/SDM, a setting in which staff development is central to the mission of the school. An insert, "Trendlines USA," provides information on case studies that highlight the importance of staff development to SBM/SDM. Thirty-two references are cited. (AMH)