This publication is the result of an 18-month project that brought together teams from six states--Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas--along with their national organizations in a groundbreaking partnership to identify collective bargaining language and policies that support high-quality professional development. Three key ideas emerged from this study: (1) Professional development is only as effective as the expectations set for it; (2) Negotiated contract provisions and policy language about professional development are best considered within their unique contexts; and (3) Professional development can be dramatically enhanced through state policy and collective bargaining agreements. The following national recommendations emerged from the work of this initiative: (1) All states and districts should adopt and follow strong standards for professional development; (2) States and districts should develop easily understood, research-based, and graduated rating systems for professional development programs; (3) States and districts should provide adequate resources, including time and financial support, to ensure every educator engages in effective professional learning; (4) All states and districts should immediately implement new or expanded professional learning for school leaders, including principals and teacher leaders, to help them facilitate and integrate high-quality professional development into teachers' workdays; (5) States and districts should require that school leaders' evaluations include how well they implement effective professional learning; and (6) States and districts should work collaboratively to establish parameters or guidance on teachers' role in all decisions related to professional development. Appendices include: (1) Contributors; (2) Participating States' Context Matrix; (3) NSDC's Standards for Staff Development; (4) Glossary; and (5) Source Table.