Texas and North Carolina have exhibited strong levels of commitment to define and enforce standards of competent performance in the teaching profession. To make up for a prior lack of definition of what constitutes teacher effectiveness, both states have developed similar systems of teacher appraisal. In North Carolina, the Teacher Performance Appraisal System (TPAS) includes 38 teaching practices grouped in eight functions. Teacher competence is measured at the level of the function, not its practice. The basic tenet of TPAS is that practices may be manifested in different ways and many behaviors may demonstrate a single practice. The Texas Teacher Appraisal System (TTAS) is divided into five domains, 13 criteria, and 65 indicators. Both programs require direct observation of teachers for data collection and both provide for the training of appraisers and orientation of teachers. Two figures outlining the evaluation criteria of each program are included. (EJS)