Few factors are more powerful at influencing what is taught in our nation’s classrooms than the effective pairing of learning standards with the curriculum and assessments that enact them. The United States is poised to begin a new era on both fronts as states phase in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and new assessments aligned to the standards. Together, the CCSS and new assessments are intended to promote the instruction and learning our students need to succeed in a global economy. Studies show that employers’ demands for workers with routine, repetitive skills—whether manual or cognitive—have dropped. Meanwhile, demand for employees with complex thinking and interactive skills has soared. Between 1970 and 2000, for example, the top skills demanded by Fortune 500 companies shifted from the 3 Rs—reading, writing, and arithmetic—to teamwork, problem solving, and interpersonal skills.