For 4 years, the Alliance for Achievement served as a pioneering effort to raise aspirations and improve the academic preparation of students by connecting public schools and community colleges to each other and the workplace. It proposed the challenging ideas that communities should provide a "seamless path" that carries young people from one level of education to another, and that all students can and should do rigorous work. This overview explains the economic imperative that led to the design of the Alliance. It describes the Alliance model, why it used cross-school teams and why it focused on middle school students. It relates some of the barriers sites faced in achieving Alliance goals, and then highlights outcomes at the six demonstration sites. Local outcomes include strong relationships among middle schools, high schools, and community college; expanded career awareness, career exploration, and educational guidance; and increased parental involvement, more rigorous curriculum, and deeper understanding of the local economy. A "Career Connections" segment involving local business leaders is described. Finally, 12 lessons that have implications for other school-change and school-to-work initiatives are summarized. (EMK)