Many students head to the classroom each day with high hopes of making good grades that will carry them to a good career, college or some other goal.

We taxpayers send our children to those schools with the trust and knowledge that they will receive the best level of education possible.

To give us a gauge to determine if our children receive that level of instruction, the Mississippi Department of Education has established a set of guidelines that students must reach, which is reflected in their state testing scores.

Such regulations are often established through every aspect of life, either in evaluating a person’s job performance, driving record or even their credit score.

When considering any of those three, there are standards in place to allow an employer to determine if their staff is performing as expected, insurance companies to identify insurable drivers, and lenders to establish a person’s ability to repay a loan.

So it would come as no surprise to see that some parents may be concerned that the Picayune School District fell a grade point when others in the county either maintained last year’s grade, or improved.

This fact may lead to a mentality that one school district is better than another, which is a misconception.

Parents should not forget that there are more factors at play when determining if their child is receiving a quality education from a school with a lower grade than others.

But that’s not an excuse for inaction.

We expect administrators and staff within the Picayune School District will take this drop in grade as an opportunity to improve.

It is our expectation that these men and women are making plans to improve, thereby ensuring all children within the District are ready for their life ahead.