An overview is presented of a third-party evaluation of the North Carolina Career Development Plan, at the end of the third year of a four-year pilot program. Under scrutiny were the Teacher Performance Appraisal Instrument (TPAI) and the Principal Performance Appraisal Instrument (PPAI), as well as the appeals process for those delayed for advancement on the career ladder. The panel concluded that the instruments are adequate for the purposes of certification and quality assurance. In relation to the purposes of career development and professional growth and development, the instruments seemed to be functioning reasonably well, considering that the pilot program was only 3 years old. Areas where they should be strengthened and expanded were noted. While the appeals process appeared to work quite well at the initial peer panel stage, several cases that reached the later appeal boards had not gone well. It was recommended that board members be well trained in the Performance Appraisal System and that the board review be focused on the same data and guidelines as the earlier peer review. The report also highlights some personal and political factors that were encountered in the conduct of the investigations and in the uses made of the findings. (JD)