When I first read the Common Core Anchor Standards, I wanted to cry. Partly out of frustration, partly out of relief. Finally! I thought. We can implement and assess the skills that kids most need! Teaching to the thin standards of No Child Left Behind left many skills behind: the ability to read complex text, the ability to problem solve, gather data, support a claim, and think beyond rote memorization in order to pass a test. Drilling students on information retention is outdated in a culture where information is readily accessible. Here, instead, are the skills our students will need to be successful in the 21st century: