This Special Issues Brief from the "Center on Great Teachers and Leaders" (GTL Center) introduces an approach to creating coherence among three potentially transformative instructional reforms: implementation of the Common Core State Standards for student learning, new standards-based teacher evaluation systems, and job-embedded professional learning designs. State, district, and school practitioners are requesting guidance on fitting these pieces together into a coherent plan for improving instruction. This brief aims to begin addressing this request by helping state education agency (SEA) staff guide practitioners through a coherence-building process. The brief is also intended for use by regional centers, SEA policymakers and staff, and regional support providers who aid districts in their local implementation of the Common Core State Standards, teacher evaluation systems, and professional learning. It is hoped the approach described in this brief can be useful to guide the policies, processes, and supports to districts to help them build an understanding of the connections between the Common Core, teacher evaluation, and professional learning. The following are appended: (1) Creating the Core Instructional Practices; and (2) Glossary of Key Terms.