Employers in today's global economy value a range of postsecondary credentials--industry-valued credentials, postsecondary certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees and advanced degrees-- because they can each signify whether an applicant has the skills employers need. While debates in the past have dwelled on college vs. career, today's students will need a postsecondary credential in addition to in-demand workplace skills to even begin, much less advance in, mid- or high-wage level careers. Yet there's a catch. Postsecondary education is expensive. While politicians and policymakers debate ways to make postsecondary learning more affordable and address crushing student debt, there's something states can do right now to help students prepare for success: jump-start postsecondary learning with college acceleration opportunities while students are still in high school. College acceleration opportunities like Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), dual enrollment, early college high schools and International Baccalaureate (IB) can help high school students prepare for college-level work while they earn valuable college credit or work toward a postsecondary credential. Best of all, participating students are more likely to graduate high school, go on to college and complete college degrees on time. College acceleration opportunities can set students up for success. But before this can happen, states need to thoughtfully advance college acceleration opportunities that prioritize quality, value, equity and access for all students. This playbook outlines the challenges facing states and identifies the nine non-negotiables they need to embrace to guarantee high-quality college acceleration opportunities for their students. [For the executive summary, see ED612491.]