Our public schools’ report card &045; the measure of how the district is performing &045; is our report card, too.

For Natchez-Adams School District teachers, administrators and students, a lot is riding on the set of numbers they receive every year when standardized test scores are released.

And that means that for our entire community, a lot is riding on those scores.

Education has a direct impact on economic development, both now and in the future. When potential industries look at an area, school performance is one of the most important aspects they consider.

Not only do test scores &045; one of the main benchmarks by which schools are measured &045; matter now, they give us a good idea of where our schools are headed in the future. We need a strong education system to provide the qualified workforce we need to prosper in the future.

Test scores aren’t the only measure, but they are one of the most visible.

The Natchez-Adams district &045; which saw major administration changes over the past year, with four new principals and a new superintendent &045; is banking on a strong action plan to help improve scores this year.

Throughout this week, we will take a look at each public school, how it is performing and what teachers, administrators and students are doing to improve scores over the coming months. We will also look at ways that parents and even community members can help boost this all-important aspect of education.

It doesn’t matter where your children attend school &045; or whether you have children at all.

Each of us depends upon the performance of our public schools as a measure not only of their success but of our community’s success.

When industries come looking at Natchez, we need to score an &uot;A&uot; for public schools.