While federal law requires students to be tested in math, English-language arts and science in particular grades, states are still struggling to mount the resources and expertise necessary to fully implement college and career readiness standards, let alone new assessments aligned to these higher standards. New assessments are not only more demanding of students but also come with new administrative, technological and scoring challenges. Policymakers, caught between testing and accountability requirements and their constituents' concerns, are seeking new ways to meet the needs of all stakeholders. The key questions faced by education leaders are: (1) Which assessments should we choose? and (2) How do we use those assessments? To aid education leaders and policymakers in answering these questions, this report highlights how other states have addressed these questions and their attendant issues.