The definitive guidebook to the complex terrain of 21st-century standards! Standards, assessments, grading, and reporting provide the foundation for nearly every initiative in modern education reform. But what do these terms actually mean? This easy-to-use Q&A gives short, simple, jargon-free answers to the questions that frequently stymie educators. Readers will come away with: A consistent vocabulary and frame of reference to share with other educators An understanding of effective implementation in all four areas Specific ideas for purposeful action Common ground that teachers, leadership teams, schools, and districts can use as a basis for successful improvement efforts