The chapters presented in this report take stock of much of what has been tried and learned about state policy leadership in bridging the divide between K-12 schools and postsecondary education. They bring together the work and perspectives of the authors and of several sponsoring and collaborating organizations, including: Editorial Projects in Education and "Education Week"; the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB); the Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy at California State University, Sacramento; and the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. The purpose of this report is to stimulate and encourage examination of the effectiveness of state policies in linking high schools and colleges, in the interest of attaining higher levels of student achievement. Following an introduction by Patrick M. Callan, Part I: A National Perspective, includes: (1) The Historical Context of the Divide Between K-12 and Higher Education (Michael W. Kirst and Michael D. Usdan); (2) P-16 Policy Alignment in the States: Findings from a 50-State Survey (Erin J. Walsh); and (3) Building State College Readiness Initiatives (David S. Spence). Part II: Case Studies of State P-16 and P-20 Councils by Nancy B. Shulock presents: (4) Arizona's P-20 Council; (5) Kentucky's P-16 Council; (6) Rhode Island's PK-16 Council; and (7) From Dialogue to Policy? A Comparison of P-16 Councils in Three States. (Individual chapters contain footnotes.)