Authentic performance assessments--when used simultaneously with matching curricular practices--are a promising development for practitioners and students alike. A major benefit for practitioners appears to be the opportunity to redefine the curriculum and guide instruction. Benefits for students include the opportunity to engage in authentic work and receive feedback that speaks directly to their capabilities. This newsletter presents stories of practitioners at two suburban schools who decided to change their curricular and assessment practices to encompass authentic assessment and authentic instruction. Instruction in both schools had to be shifted from curricular practices that emphasized coverage of large amounts of material within a prescribed time frame, to in-depth situations in which students are encouraged to develop problem-solving and higher-order thinking abilities. An example of revised assessment criteria is included: "Scoring System for Fifth Grade Performance Assessment at Mark Twain Elementary School, Littleton, Colorado." Selected criteria which guide school staff planning of authentic curriculum units at Urbandale High School in Urbandale, Iowa, are also included. (IAH)