This brief describes major challenges ahead for states, institutions, and most importantly, students as the standards and assessments from the Common Core Standards (CCSS) are implemented. It also offers recommendations to create a network structure that would assist K-12 and higher education leaders in addressing those challenges. To begin the conversation about these challenges, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, convened higher education and K-12 leaders from the Western region and additional bordering states in October 2014. The meeting established four goals: (1) to gain an increased awareness of issues related to readiness for college and careers, common academic standards, and assessments that may emerge as students cross state lines to enroll in postsecondary institutions after high school; (2) to forge relationships with colleagues in other states to assist with the ongoing implementation of common academic standards and assessments in the region, particularly where cross-state collaboration is necessary; (3) to identify principles of good practice as a basis for a national framework for preempting some of the obstacles related to student movement across state lines as common academic standards and assessments are implemented; and (4) to determine whether an ongoing conversation (perhaps through a formal network of K-12 and higher education leaders) would be valuable and lead to more successful student transitions. Organized to address the four key areas, the October 2014 meeting focused on data and reporting, admissions, college and career readiness, and communications.