Working with state education agency staff and higher education faculty, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) attempted to assemble information about current state-developed teacher evaluation systems and future directions for teacher assessment. SREB states were trying to determine whether: (1) the same evaluation systems were being used from state to state; (2) the SREB states had a common evaluation language; (3) decisions about beginning and veteran teachers differed; and (4) states' conclusions about good teaching varied. Of the 12 southern states participating in the study, 11 have developed evaluation programs for both beginning and veteran teachers. The study was designed in two phases. In phase 1, researchers examined documents describing each state's evaluation program and prepared a written analysis. In phase 2, trained observation teams from each state used their own evaluation systems to evaluate the same set of videotapes of classroom teaching. The SREB study team's comparative analysis yielded the following conclusions: (1) states are developing some common understanding about observable teacher behaviors and a common language for observing them; (2) a basis exists for translating observation information gathered from state to state; and (3) all states could benefit from additional research aimed at improving observation systems. The "next steps" and implications for state policy are also summarized. (MLH)