Students, teachers, administrators, community members, and policymakers are collectively responsible for ensuring that the literacy learning required to earn a living and lead a well-rounded life is available to all. To meet that responsibility, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) urges legislators to practice civil discourse by working through complex issues and arguing in the spirit of compromise--to commit more to negotiation than to control. Educators working in teams understand better how to teach the literacy practices needed for academic success in all content areas. To ensure that all students are college- and career-ready, NCTE calls upon policymakers at all levels to: (1) Take into account the practices and conditions that foster success in literacy teaching and learning, support effective collaboration, and encourage innovation at the grassroots; (2) Invest in research, including case studies, surveys, interviews, and meta-analyses, to document the influence of recent initiatives and policy developments on literacy learning; (3) Support the development of high-quality preparation of English language arts teachers; (4) Invest in systematic and systemic team-based professional learning that builds teacher agency and preserves and enhances respect for the profession; (5) Support a comprehensive, cross-curricular basis for design and funding of legislation; (6) Preserve and enhance quality in a higher education system that sustains and increases student literacy and advances preparation for participation in society as productive citizens; and (7) Support fair and responsible assessment policies that advance, not merely measure, learning.