A study sought to determine factors and conditions which distinguish effective and less effective staff inservice training. Over 1000 teachers and administrators, who participated in 112 staff inservice projects, were the study subjects. Data was gather by pre- and post-workshop questionnaires. This report presents a summary of the findings on: (1) teachers' inservice needs; (2) characteristics of effective workshops; (3) effective and negative methods of workshop presentation; (4) characteristics related to positive ratings of staff inservice training (duration, size, representation, and school level); (5) administrative characteristics associated with effective inservice; and (6) the school and community as a context for professional development. In the summary, it is pointed out that the findings indicate that many factors influence the development of effective staff inservice training. Factors noted to be particularly important include the quality of the workshop, quality and extent of administrative involvement, and the school and community as a context for professional development. (JD)