This booklet is designed to help parents understand how Washington schools are raising their academic standards. It also points out questions parents should ask about their children's schools and describes some at-home activities that will help a child make the most of time in and out of the classroom. The educational improvement effort in Washington encompasses clear and challenging standards, a focus on reading as the foundation for learning, measurement of each student's progress, the reduction of bureaucratic rules and regulations, and accountability. One level of accountability will be the Certificate of Mastery that each student will be required to earn before high school graduation. The state's new standards are a blend of general goals and more specific items for elementary, middle, and high school students. The general goals are called "essential academic learning requirements." Examples are given of these essential learning requirements in mathematics. Washington will be using a new assessment system to measure student achievement. Tests will be given to all students in grades 4, 7, and 10 to see how well students and schools are doing, and schools will use other assessments more frequently to evaluate student progress. These tests can be the basis for parent questions about how well the child and the school are doing. Ten questions parents ought to ask about their children's schools are listed. These include questions about curriculum and teaching, the use of educational technology, the approach to student diversity of learning styles and backgrounds, and matters of school policy, such as discipline. Parents can help children become eager and effective learners if they feed their children's curiosity and encourage their children to develop strong relationships with other adults who support parental efforts to raise healthy and successful children. Some activities to do at home are described for each of the eight academic subject areas covered by the new standards. Parent participation in the schools is highlighted as a way to know what is really happening in school. (SLD)