This qualitative study explored the perceptions of five high school science teachers to understand how the alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment within the instructional program was perceived as purposeful to student learning in the age of accountability and the standards movement. A conceptual framework including alignment and curriculum theories served as the lens to address the research questions and analyze the data. Data were collected through virtual interviews and an artifact review of teacher-produced samples of curriculum, instruction, and assessments. The data were coded using thematic analysis, which led to four themes that describe teachers' understanding of the alignment process. The resulting themes revealed supports, barriers, and overarching understanding of the alignment process: connectivity, time constraints, collaboration, and creativity. The results have strong implications in supporting teacher professional development in models of alignment. Overall, teachers need to practice the alignment process to fully understand the alignment process. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]