This book provides an insightful commentary on a critical issue defining our times. In a refreshingly bold, straightforward analysis, Dueck takes on uninformed public opinion and vested interests in a call for a radical rethinking of "the most transformational initiative" available to educational reformers today. It's an argument in favor of common core and its two correlates - common assessment and accountability. His conclusions are based on a "common sense" understanding of a rich and diverse data set, which includes illuminating anecdotes drawn from Dueck's wide-ranging experience as an educational practitioner and trailblazer. His orienting theme is fairness - first and foremost for students, but also for the general public. As a result, it is an important book for practitioners and policy makers looking for clarity in a politically charged atmosphere and for parents and a badgered public tired of vacuous promises and strident, self-serving argumentation. This book is a must for those who care about the future of our country and the role education plays in shaping it: it will stimulate, provoke, and motivate to action.