Cassidy, Ortlieb, and Grote-Garcia (2016) have penned an important and insightful article. This reflection on the impact of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS; National Governors Association [NGA] Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers [CCSSO], 2010) through the lens of "What's Hot, What's Not" for two decades is both accurate and frustrating. Just when research was revealing promising practices for struggling readers, the CCSS emerged and is now dominating the conversation. While perhaps national standards were necessary, the perfect storm of insanity that resulted is not. The author has been in the profession a long time, and in the years before the CCSS, saw the development of effective interventions for most vulnerable readers. In this article, the author shares views and reflections on "What's Hot, What's Not" over the years.