Students in the Natchez-Adams School District started classes Monday, and the district’s ninth-graders have started a new project aimed at helping them adjust to the rigors of high school.

The district has created a &uot;school within a school&uot; for ninth-graders, a class which last year posted high failure rates in some courses.

With separate administrators and separate activities, the ninth-graders will have the chance to get used to the new world of high school at a little slower pace.

It seems to be just one more example of Superintendent Dr. Carl Davis’ efforts to improve academic performance at the public schools.

Davis got the idea for the separate ninth-grade after reviewing test scores for last year’s freshman class.

He found that some teachers had between a 30 to 40 percent failure rate in English and math – essential subjects – and some had a failure rate as high as 60 percent.At a parent meeting last week, many ninth-grade parents said the idea was worth a try.

We agree. There has always been a lot of talk about what could be done to help improve public schools – locally and nationally – but this new system takes an active role in the effort.

Davis said he hopes the &uot;school within a school&uot; will help not only the students with academic difficulties, but also the rest of the students.

Students will be given English and math pretests, and the school will also develop at tutoring and mentoring program.

We hope, along with Davis, that the program works.

Only time will tell, but if it saves one child from failure, it’s worth it.