Michael Q. McShane of the American Enterprise Institute suggests that three issues will determine the success or failure of the Common Core State Standards:

Oversight. Who will lead the effort to revise the Common Core standards in the future? Who will ensure that states and schools are faithfully implementing the standards? Dr. McShane says that because no other entity has the necessary reach or power, supporters will look to the federal government to oversee the Common Core.

Infrastructure. The computer-based assessments aligned with the Common Core require a significant investment in hardware and bandwidth. Will states find the money and will these purchases be the best use of scarce taxpayer funds?

Politics. From one side of the spectrum, there are concerns about centralized power. From the other side, there are concerns about the entire accountability movement and implementation.

Dr. McShane's entire piece, including his list of seventeen specific Common Core implementation issues, can be found here: http://educationnext.org/navigating-the-common-core/