The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and assessments aligned to them represent a significant milestone in public education reform in the U.S. Developed with consultation from higher education, the rigorous new standards and the assessments now being drafted by two consortia promise to help students reach higher levels of academic achievement and increase their likelihood of enrolling and succeeding in college. The mission of the consortia is to create assessments that reflect the CCSS and accurately measure college readiness. This work could lead to significant improvements in the preparation of many students for postsecondary study and smooth their transition between high school and college. Higher education systems stand to benefit as well since better preparation should reduce the high proportion of students requiring developmental courses when they enroll, limit the costs associated with those classes, and cut the average time to a credential. Achieving those results, however, will require the support of higher education not only throughout the development of the exams but also into their full implementation. As a first step toward encouraging higher education systems to endorse and base judgments about students' college readiness on the new assessments, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Lumina Foundation requested the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) to identify the conditions that help build consensus between K-12 and postsecondary systems at a state level. In response, NCHEMS developed the following: (1) Criteria Reflecting Capacity for Alignment; and (2) Hallmarks of Higher Education Involvement. This paper summarizes the criteria and describes how they play out in the context of specific state environments. It is designed as a guide to help educators and policymakers understand the conditions that must be met for a state to fully embrace the goals of the new Common Core State Standards and related assessments. [This report was prepared for the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Lumina Foundation.]