In an examination of the conditions required for the successful implementation of performance assessment, the authors draw on a range of personal experience and other insights to guide practitioners and policymakers. Building on the authentic assessment work of the Boston Pilot Schools (CCE 2004), in 2008 the Center for Collaborative Education (CCE) began developing a system to design and implement performance assessment that was research-based and educator-driven and that achieved a high level of technical quality. The authors conducted research and worked with a cohort of educators to bridge research and practice. The initiative culminated in the assessment model Quality Performance Assessment (QPA).