When browsing through professional catalogs or attending national conferences, one cannot help but notice the growing emphasis on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). So, what does this mean for Texas teachers? As part of a special four-part series in our Texas Journal of Literacy Education, a special task force from the TALE Board will share the common ground among the CCSS, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). Here, we begin part one of this series by briefly discussing the history of this national movement and the creation of our own state standards. Throughout the series, we will discuss the commonalities and differences among the various sets of standards and how they each address student outcomes for developing skills for both writing and reading.