Drafted by representatives of the teaching profession along with personnel from 17 state education agencies, the performance-based standards in this document represent a common core of teaching knowledge and skills. The standards were developed to be compatible with the advanced certification standards of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The standards address the knowledge, dispositions, and performances deemed essential for all beginning teachers regardless of their specialty area. This common core is intended to outline the principles and foundations of practice that cut across specialty areas--the knowledge of student learning and development, curriculum and teaching, contexts, and purposes, which creates a set of professional understandings, abilities, and commitments that all teachers share. Standards are organized within 10 principles relating to: (1) the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline being taught and meaningful learning experiences; (2) child development and appropriate learning opportunities; (3) learning styles; (4) instructional strategies; (5) individual and group motivation and behavior; (6) effective communication techniques; (7) instructional design; (8) assessment strategies; (9) reflectivity; and (10) relationships with colleagues, parents, and community agencies. A questionnaire for use in evaluating the draft standards is appended. (JDD)