This State Policy Update provides background on professional development (PD) in adult education. Section 2 describes survey methods used to document how states funded and designed their PD systems. Section 3 reviews data collected by the survey of state PD systems, highlighting PD activities in Kentucky, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee. It describes these nine characteristics researchers have identified to constitute a comprehensive PD system and other characteristics recorded by the survey and interviews with individual states: (1) PD providers and delivery formats; (2) PD agenda influences and contributors; (3) instructor experience and preservice training; (4) certification process for instructors; (5) instructor competencies; (6) additional incentives to promote instructors in PD; (7) evaluation of effectiveness of PD, PD challenges; (8) PD needs; and (9) accomplishments in PD. Section 4 describes these five current and upcoming federally-funded PD initiatives and research projects: (1) National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy; (2) PRO-NET; (3) PD Kit; (4) National Center for English as a Second Language Literacy Education; and (5) National Institute for Literacy. Appendixes include a list of 31 resources; annotated list (with telephone number and Web site) of 22 adult education organizations representing or serving segments of the field that provide PD support to states, other adult education programs, and staff; and the survey questionnaire. (YLB)