Twenty years ago, a report by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) changed the national discussion about what must be done to improve America's schools so that all students experience success. The Commission drew attention to the overlooked fact that the most important school variable affecting student achievement is the teacher. Looking over the past two decades, as a nation we continue to struggle with providing access to great teaching and learning for all students. The current education system simply does not work for millions of students, many of them Black and Hispanic students and students from low-income families. The Commission believes this country is entering a new era of teaching and learning in which the teacher is not the target of reform but the primary engine driving improvement. The commission is calling for a new compact with teachers to capitalize on this moment when policy and practice are shifting toward more engaging and relevant teaching and learning for all students. In order to accomplish this, the Commission is recommending that: (1) Policymakers should establish and broadly communicate a new compact with teachers; (2) Every state should establish a Commission on Teaching, Learning, and the State's Future; (3) States and districts should codify and track whether all schools are "organized for success"; (4) Teacher preparation should be more relevant and clinically-based; (5) States should support all new teachers with multi-year induction and high-quality mentoring; and (6) Education leaders should evaluate ALL professional learning for responsiveness and effectiveness. It is NCTAF's hope that this report will serve as a catalyst for action at the state and local district levels. NCTAF is also poised to work with states to help implement these system changes. (The Commission also acknowledges the NEA Foundation and Total Wine & More for their support of the report.)