It is the nation's collective responsibility--including the federal government's--to ensure that all young people have equal access to a high-quality, world-class education. This goal has never been more important than in today's fast-growing knowledge economy that is coupled with increasing rates of poverty as more and more families are left behind. Federal policymakers can learn from states in which progress is being made, from past federal investments that resulted in equitable advancement, and from high-quality research on what works to improve learning and how federal tools and resources can support productive efforts at the state and local levels. This document describes how policymakers can implement four specific strategies: (1) support high-quality teaching and learning; (2) strengthen the education profession; (3) fund schools adequately and equitably; and (4) reduce the effects of poverty on children's learning.