Criteria suggesting standards and characteristics for inservice education programs are described. In an introductory table, the purposes of inservice education are illustrated. They include advanced degrees, school improvement, professional advancement, retraining for new assignments, and personal professional development. The process, setting, authority, responsible agency, reward structure, and motivation for each of these purposes are listed. Inservice program criteria are grouped into five sections: decision making, relationship to the program of the school, resources, commitment to teacher education, and rewards. The criteria may be used in several ways. They may provide basic ideas upon which professionals can plan and operate a program. They may also be used as survey items to obtain perceptions of district or school personnel, to provide information on current circumstances and what might be desirable in an inservice education program, and to examine the priorities of those involved in program development. (JD)