Standards provide learning targets for students and the result of assessments help make data-driven instructional decisions. In this anthology education experts address the following topics in the context of impacting student learning *; performance assessments *; frequent assessments in mathematics *; connecting science standards and assessments *; common formative assessments for English language learners *; standards and assessments contexts and applications *; assessments for literacy learning *; disciplinary literacy and deep understanding *; effective grading practices *; assessing the 21st century learner.