With the rapid rate of knowledge generation, all educators must reflect on how to best prepare all students to be scientifically literate citizens and to assist some of those students to be productive scientists. The tension between breadth and depth of coverage in introductory courses increases as we struggle to maximize student learning. Reform efforts in science education advocated by the National Research Council (NRC), AAAS, the National Science Teachers Association, and other stakeholders are at a tipping point. The Next Generation of Science Standards (NGSS) and the Advanced Placement (AP) redesign in biology, chemistry, and physics are changing both the curriculum and assessments for science courses for students across the United States. These changes can positively affect the curriculum that is presented in colleges and universities. In 2012, 10,000 AP biology teachers began changing their instruction and content to align with the AP redesign curriculum framework. This change included a shift from traditional content coverage to an emphasis on four “big ideas” in biology and their link to seven “science practices.” This step mirrors the NRC framework’s emphasis on the integration of three dimensions: scientific and engineering practices, cross-cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. This session will feature an in-depth look and a one-hour interactive discussion with attendees on how the K-12 changes evolved, their implementation, and how they can affect college instruction.