Writing is a cornerstone in the K-12 experience. Students write to demonstrate, support, and deepen understanding of themselves, their relationships, and their world--and to succeed on achievement tests in all subjects. Writing proficiency sets students up for postsecondary success and workforce participation. It facilitates their social and civic activities and can reduce psychological and physical distress. Yet roughly three-quarters of U.S. students do not write proficiently, a finding that has persisted over two decades. Thus it is no surprise that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), adopted by most states in 2010, sought to elevate the importance of writing instruction in schools and the expectations for student writing performance. But did the new standards alter the facts on the ground? Can they? In this article, Gary Troia delves into answering these questions by considering: (1) whether learning standards can improve writing; (2) barriers to implementing learning standards for writing; and (3) how policymakers can support better implementation.