This document contains summaries of 12 presentations given at a conference held in reponse to the comprehensive Oregon school improvement plan entitled "Oregon Action Plan for Excellence." The plan provides a framework for improving public schools in the areas of graduation requirements, academic expectations and assessment, teacher and administrator effectiveness, school standardization, technology, and state and local policy. The conference, however, focused on the plan's recommendation for a statewide common and comprehensive curriculum for elementary and secondary students. Presentations fell into five main categories: challenges for (1) school reform, (2) policy and technology, (3) planning and practice, (4) state and local leadership, and (5) conference participants. Contents include: "The Oregon Action Plan for Excellence: Implications for Policy and Governance" (Don Egge); "Principles of Curriculum and Assessment Alignment" (Richard Schutz); "Educational Governance: Reactions to Issues Raised by Don Egge and Dick Schutz" (Robert Mattson); "Research Implications for Improving Staff Development" (Ann Murphy); "Realistic Assessment for Usable Information" (Gary Estes); "Anticipating the Consequences of New Evaluation Standards" (Kenneth Duckworth); "The Union of Equity and Quality: A Missing Ingredient" (Leland Stuart); "Curriculum and Assessment: Implementing the Aligned System" (Glen Fielding); "Keeping Perspectives on Education and Reform (Richard Carlson); "Innovation through Partnership" (Ardis Christensen); and "The Limits of Reform" (Roberta Hutton). Reactions by eight conference participants are appended. (IW)