The ninth recommendation in ACTE's high school reform position statement is to move beyond "seat-time" and narrowly defined knowledge and skills. United States high schools operate on a well-established set of expectations for size, time of day and seasons of the year that programs and classes are offered, how instructional material is delivered, and what constitutes success in terms of the students' knowledge and skills. Until reliable assessments of student knowledge and skills are in place and accepted, there will be difficulty in letting go of the seat-time approach. A first step toward the new vision is to continue using existing standardized assessments for accountability and exit requirements, while developing and implementing performance-based demonstrations of skills and knowledge that can give a more in-depth picture of a student's skills. This article more closely examines the last recommendation made in ACTE's high school reform position statement and highlights best practices of two high schools that have already made the changes necessary to teach and assess students' true abilities through project-based and community-based learning opportunities.