About three-fourths of the states have already adopted the Common Core State Standards, which were designed to provide more clarity about and consistency in what is expected of student learning across the country. However, given the brief time since the standards' final release in June, questions persist among educators, who will have the responsibility of employing teaching strategies that meet the standards. The Common Core State Standards Initiative provides responses to questions principals might have about the direction of education standards, the distinction between national and common standards, the common standards adoption process, and how the standards will improve teaching and learning in schools across the country. This article provides an overview of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, explains why the initiative is important, and describes what these common standards mean for students, faculty, and school.