Introduction: Why American schools must move toward common core state standards -- Common core state standards: what are they? -- The school leader's role in making the common core state standards work -- Designing local curriculum to absorb the common core state standards in English -- Designing local curriculum to absorb the common core state standards in mathematics -- Challenges to the implementation of rigorous common core state standards -- How to assess mastery of the common core curriculum state standards -- The leadership challenge: creating common understandings of the common core state standards -- Dialogue: providing opportunity so facts influence opinions -- Multicultural issues that teachers and school leaders must face beyond the common core state standards -- An effective intervention in schools that improves instruction and learning -- Public policy: helpful and harmful