This report describes issues relating to rural teacher preparation and inservice opportunities. Among these issues are: the need to prepare teachers for the rural education experience; the characteristics of success to be developed by teachers in rural settings; programs and strategies to engender those characteristics; and the considerable obstacles to be overcome by those whose mission is teacher preparation. The report begins by exploring the number and nature of rural schools in the U. S. Northwest and how recent educational reform initiatives have affected these schools. The role of the rural teacher in carrying out reform initiatives is then discussed, particularly in light of expectations held for teacher performance. Next, how teacher preparation programs develop educators for these expectations is examined. Finally, an ideal rural teacher development program is conceptualized to emphasize the need for additional support for training rural teachers to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to engage in ongoing school improvement. Recommendations are given in the areas of technology, exchange teachers and professors, university/school partnership, preservice preparation of rural teachers, inservice and professional development for rural teachers, career ladders, community/school partnerships, teaching contracts, and local student-teacher supervisors. "Model Standards for Beginning Teacher Licensing and Development, Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC)" is appended. (Contains 72 references.) (ND)