To improve American education, there must be improved ongoing professional development for teachers and a national plan for helping teachers fulfill their untapped potential. Research shows that quality professional development can improve student achievement. Teachers report that professional development improves their teaching. Despite this, the American school system fails to provide sufficient professional development for teachers. There must be a national plan to direct staff development dollars and teacher time for learning. This plan would evaluate staff development and ensure that quality programs and strategies are encouraged to grow. The National Staff Development Council's set of standards and guidelines for staff development includes: set clear, high standards for learning for all students; hold superintendents, principals, and teachers accountable; invest in teacher learning; review school improvement plans; involve all teachers in continuous, intellectually rigorous study of what and how they teach; embed opportunities for professional learning and collaboration into the school day; provide teachers with classroom assessment and action research skills; and recognize the importance of skillful school and district leaders. This booklet describes what is needed at the national level, state, and local levels, providing models that show what professional development should be to transform education and explaining how to actually make this change. (Contains 22 references.) (SM)