This report shares findings from interviews conducted with head teachers in PreK for All (PKA) settings as part of a multiple case study project that sought to examine the adoption of authentic assessment systems (AAS) in PKA settings. A purpose of this work is to demonstrate how teachers find and use effective assessment strategies to support their pedagogical decision-making. Additionally, findings reveal the benefits and tensions in using AAS. A primary goal of this study was to amplify teachers’ voices to gain deeper understandings of their roles as policy enactors. In alignment with systems building, a broader public investment in early care and education requires that the early care and education ECCE community examine the factors that increase the retention of members of the workforce. (author abstract)