The present work reports a parameterization of DFT/ CIS based on the CAM-B3LYP functional, for elements through the 3d transition metals. Given a suitable parameterization, this approach improves considerably upon most TD-DFT calculations (including TD-CAM-B3LYP) for K-and L-edge XANES and K-edge XES. The DFT/CIS formalism adds extra Hartree-Fock exchange but omits any XC kernel in the matrix elements of the excited-state eigenvalue problem. (The effect of these matrix elements in many XANES applications is only ∼ 0.5 eV. 118 ) The cost of DFT/CIS is identical to that of CIS, which can be formulated in a very efficient integral-direct manner. Within the CVS approximation that is used for core-level spectroscopy, the cost remains modest even when hundreds of excited states are required. The new CAM-B3LYP/CIS method dramatically reduces the need for large shifts that are required in most TD-DFT calculations of core-level spectra. Comparison to DFT/MRCI results, and to Grimme's original B3LYPbased parameterization of DFT/CIS, suggests that parameterized adjustments to core-level Kohn-Sham eigenvalues are more important than electron correlation effects per se. The new approach reproduces experimental pre-edge and near-edge features for a variety of chemical systems, and only modest shifts are required to match experimental features in absolute terms. This should aid in the assignment of complex spectra with overlapping features. At the same time, CAM-B3LYP/CIS remains useful for valence spectroscopy. Addition of spin-orbit couplings is currently underway, which will facilitate direct comparison to experiment for L-and M-edge spectra.