The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. Since 1998, CCSSO has focused attention on expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) and worked to develop a shared understanding about characteristics of high-quality ELOs and effective state policies and initiatives that support such programs. This brief explores ways to strengthen expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) by building their connection to the Common Core State Standards Initiative (Common Core). The CCSSO is interested in both efforts and wants to support states in maximizing their impact to ensure the success of all learners. Without exception, states are attempting to improve the education of their students. These efforts are in response to: (1) persistent disparities in high school graduation rates that hinder students' ability to compete in today's global economy; (2) gaps in preparedness, as many U.S. students who graduate from high school are not ready to do college-level work and/or join the workforce; and (3) conclusive evidence that U.S. high school students' academic performance lags behind that of their peers in other developed nations.