This book contains a host of short chapters organized into four sections that form a tapestry for educators to consider the different dimensions of implementing more rigorous education standards.

ForewordIntroductionPart I: Leading Standards Implementation in Schools and SystemsSection Intro James SpillaneChapter 1: Engaging with Standards-Jonathan SupovitzChapter 2:The Infrastructure and Conceptual Challenges of the Common CoreCurriculum State Standards: English Language Arts As A Case-Carol LeeChapter 3: Implementing the Common Core: How Individuals, Organizational Resources, and Instructional Practice Matter-John DiamondChapter 4: School-Subject Variation in Educational Infrastructures: A Cautionary Implementation Tale-James Spillane, Megan HopkinsPart II: Leading Standards Implementation in ClassroomsSection Intro-Jonathan SupovitzChapter 5: Rewriting Myths about Curriculum Materials and Content Standards in Mathematics-Janine RemillardChapter 6: Overcoming the Challenges of Choosing Curriculum Materials: A Systematic Approach to Evaluating Common Core Alignment-Morgan PolikoffChapter 7: Fulfilling the Promise of Rigor for All-Emily HodgeChapter 8: Common Core in Uncommon Schools: Tools for Teacher Cohesion?-Bruce FullerChapter 9: Collaborative Professional Development To Create Cognitively Demanding Tasks in English Language Arts-Vivian Mihalakis, Anthony PetroskyPart III: Building System Capacity through RelationshipsSection Intro-James SpillaneChapter 10: Connections, Coherence, and Common Understanding in the Common Core-Thomas HatchChapter 11: Intelligently Partnering for Common Core Implementation-Donald PeurachChapter 12: Contracting for Digital Education in the Common Core Era-Patricia Burch, Andrew L. LaFave, Annalee GoodPart IV: Navigating PoliticsSection IntroChapter 13: Differences in Common: A Brief History of American Educational Standards-David GamsonChapter 14: Core Confusion: A Practitioner's Guide to Understanding Its Complicated Politics-Patrick McGuinnChapter 15: Implementation Politics and the Common Core-Katie McDermottChapter 16: A Window of Opportunity: The Politics and Policies of Common Core Implementation in California-Jennifer O'Day