The SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) supports the development and implementation of learning and assessment systems to radically reshape the education enterprise in participating States in order to improve student outcomes. SBAC believes that the current "drop from the sky" approaches to educational testing are ineffective for too many teachers and students. The overarching goal of the SBAC is to ensure that all students leave high school prepared for postsecondary success in college or a career through increased student learning and improved teaching. This assessment proposal is shaped by a set of seven principles shared by both assessment systems in high-achieving nations and a number of high-achieving States in the U.S.; (1) Assessments are grounded in a thoughtful, standards-based curriculum and are managed as part of an integrated system; (2) Assessments produce evidence of student performance; (3) Teachers are integrally involved in the development and scoring of assessments; (4) The development and implementation of the assessment system is a State-led effort with a transparent and inclusive governance structure; (5) Assessments are structured to continuously improve teaching and learning; (6) Assessment, reporting, and accountability systems provide useful information on multiple measures that is educative for all stakeholders; and (7) Design and implementation strategies adhere to established professional standards.