A key finding in the first report from Learning Forward’s ongoing research project on the status of professional learning in the U.S. states: “Effective professional development is intensive, ongoing, and connected to practice; focuses on the teaching and learning of specific academic content; is connected to other school initiatives; and builds strong working relationships among teachers. However, most teachers in the United States do not have access to professional development that uniformly meets all these criteria” (Darling- Hammond,Wei, Andree, Richardson, & Orphanos, 2009). As is clear from this finding and dozens of research studies, content knowledge is essential. Joellen Killion, Learning Forward’s deputy executive director, illustrates this point beautifully in a story in one of her columns for the Teachers Teaching Teachers newsletter. In writing about the Quality Teaching standard, Killion explains the need for skillful teachers to integrate teacher