This issue brief examines the knowledge and skills teachers need in order to teach in an environment of accountability and standards-based reform. The Education Policy Reform Research Institute (EPRRI) conducted a national symposium that resulted in the identification and validation of essential knowledge and key skills that all educators need to increase the participation and performance of students with disabilities in standards-based environments. These include the following: (1) understand state and federal legislation related to academic content and achievement standards and recognize that these laws apply to every student; (2) understand state and district content and achievement standards and recognize that these standards apply to every student; (3) design instruction that supports the achievement of grade-level academic content standards by students with disabilities; (4) develop IEPs that support the achievement of grade-level academic content standards; (5) design learning environments that support the achievement of grade-level academic content standards by students with disabilities; (6) understand state and federal legislation on state and district assessments and accountability, and recognize that these laws apply to every student; (7) understand state and district assessment and accountability systems and recognize that every student is expected to participate in general assessments with or without accommodations, or in alternate assessments; (8) make appropriate participation and accommodation decisions for students with disabilities and document on each student's IEP; (9) assist students with disabilities in selecting and using accommodations, including assistive technology; and (10) understand the design and use of alternate assessments for students with significant disabilities.