This eighth annual report has taken a directional change from prior years where the primary aim was preparing students to graduate from high school. The new focus is on the K-12 alignment where, at the direction of 48 states, the National Governors Association, and the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Common Core State Standards were developed. Twenty-six states and the National Research Council requested the writing of the "Next Generation Science Standards"; and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers is developing next generation assessments. Since the first report in 2005, Achieve has worked along with state teams, governors, state education officials, postsecondary leaders, and business executives to improve postsecondary preparation by aligning key policies with the demands of the real world so that all students graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills they need to fully reach their promise in college, careers and life. This report has defined and monitored the adoption of a set of core state policies that are essential to making college and career readiness for all students the mission of the K-12 education system: academic content standards, graduation requirements, assessments, and accountability systems. "Closing the Expectations Gap, 2013" is the eighth annual report in this series. The report details the progress--and lack of progress--in advancing state policies to shift the U.S. public education system toward one that prepares all students to graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college, careers, and citizenship. Appendices include: (1) Achieve Resources; (2) Methodology; and (3) State-by State Tables. (Contains 20 endnotes.) [For "Closing the Expectations Gap, 2012: 50-State Progress Report on the Alignment of K-12 Policies and Practice with the Demands of College and Careers," see ED535986.]