To remain internationally competitive, states needed clearer, higher, and comparable K-12 learning standards aligned with college and career expectations, and as ambitious as those of the countries that lead the world in education. Idaho's old academic standards were not preparing students for postsecondary education, which contributed to the state's low go-on rates and its colleges' high remediation and drop-out rates. To address these issues, a coalition of leaders from K-12, higher education, business, and government have prevented the state of Idaho from withdrawing from its commitment to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and assessments. Some key results have been the development of a statewide regional infrastructure that successfully implemented higher standards in math and English/language arts, and professional development for teachers. This took the efforts of a broad group of stakeholders and continues to help policymakers stay the course, making Idaho a case study of successful CCSS implementation and public-policy creation.