Statewide performance assessments have gone in and out of vogue for over 30 years. While embraced as authentic representations of student work, they often prove burdensome for standardized assessment purposes. They can be a strong addition to a balanced assessment system--when implemented well for the right purposes. State policymakers looking to bring performance assessments to their schools need to think deeply about their purpose and intended use. Since performance assessments are difficult to standardize and expensive to score, states have often abandoned efforts to administer performance assessments. This article describes their benefits and challenges. State stories shared in this article provide lessons for state boards of education interested in adopting performance assessments in their states or recommending them to districts.