The authors, two high school teachers, endorse the Common Core State Standards saying they will improve teaching and learning. The Common Core, they say, not only help students acquire the skills for success in life after high school, but they offer consistency in a student's educational journey and let employers know what to expect. Meanwhile, because the skills are carefully scaffolded, teachers have a framework for understanding what students learned or should have learned before arriving in new classrooms. Regardless of the grade level or content area and where teachers work, teachers can use a common language to help students know and understand what they are learning.