John Kendall is a senior director of research at Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) in Denver. Having joined McREL in 1988, Mr. Kendall conducts research and development activities related to academic standards. He directs a technical assistance unit that provides standards-related services to schools, districts, states, national, and international organizations. He is author of Understanding Common Core State Standards and Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K–12 Education and the author or co-author of numerous reports and guides related to standards-based systems. These works include High School Standards and Expectations for College and the Workplace; Essential Knowledge: The Debate Over What American Students Should Know, and Finding the Time to Learn: A Guide. A former Latin instructor, he holds an M.A. in Classics and a B.A. English Language and Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder.