T he Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are under attack from the right and the left. Liberals fear that policy makers will use the standards to punish teachers. Conservatives believe the Common Core is an attempt by the federal government to take over schools. Supporters of the Core have their own bipartisan alliance that argues standards will help eliminate achievement gaps. This paper mounts a fresh defense of the Common Core and argues that there are numerous benefits to standards. We draw on the lessons of economic standards and point out that education standards create a platform that encourages the development of groundbreaking new ideas. Standards can increase coordination between diverse sets of stakeholders which aids in school reform. Well implemented education standards increase innovation, simplify the transfer of ideas, and improve personalized learning systems.