Assessments can either drive or constrain innovation in education. The development of new assessments that measure student performance against the Common Core State Standards offers a powerful point of leverage in the effort to ensure that the new standards deliver on their promise of enhanced educational opportunities. New assessments can help to focus teachers’ and students’ attention on essential knowledge and skills, and provide more timely and useful information for states, schools, teachers, parents and students themselves. It is vital that these new assessments measure student achievement in more complete, authentic, and meaningful ways.