This report is designed as a guide for policymakers and practitioners interested in designing more effective staff development practices. It provides information about elements of effective staff development practices identified through a review of research and site visits to nine staff development programs identified as providing effective training for adult education teachers and volunteer instructors. Chapter I is an introduction. Chapter II presents two dimensions of effective staff development practices. Four elements associated with delivery of training services are discussed: experienced and dedicated training administrators and staff, decentralized training services, systematic follow-up of training, and evaluation procedures. Five elements associated with content of effective training services are addressed: providing training services responsive to needs of teachers and volunteer instructors, involving participants in the learning process, modeling appropriate instruction, placing learning within a theoretical framework, and providing appropriate training topics. Chapter III presents summary descriptions of training at the nine study sites. Each summary includes the following: a brief overview of the program's administrative structure, training topics, follow-up activities, key elements of the program, and recommendations for designing more effective staff development programs. Appendixes describe the specific objectives, research questions, and methodology for the site visits and an outline of other research activities undertaken by the same study. (YLB)