The Common Core opens the door to successDo you wish you could leverage the Common Core State Standards to equip all studentsunot just high achieversuwith the higher level thinking skills they need? You can, and this book will show you how. The authors helped lead their districtuRockville Centre, in Long Island, New Yorkuin closing achievement gaps and increasing the number of students who completed four-year college programs. The results of their efforts show a remarkable increase in both excellence and equity in English language arts, math, and science. This book outlines the authors' research-based ACES framework for instructional improvement: Acceleration rather than remediationCritical thinking Equity in education for all studentsSupportEducators will find practical strategies that are applied and developed in model lessons linked to the CCSS and KSUS (Knowledge and Skills for University Success) standards. Understanding why we need to prepare all children to be college and career ready is easy. Making it happen is not. Learn from those who have succeeded, and your students will reap the rewards.