This report highlights the capacity of state P-16 and P-20 councils to create policy alignment between K-12 and higher education systems to ensure students transition from high school to higher education prepared for success. The report includes chapters on policy levers for P-16 alignment, the fundamentals of understanding “college readiness” across education systems, and three case studies of successful P-16 and P-20 councils. Using the examples of Arizona, Kentucky and Rhode Island, the report examines the details of successful councils, including their structural components, priorities, accomplishments, value added, barriers, and sustainability.