Succeeding in America requires a combination of luck, hard work and the help of others.

Luck is, well, just luck.

Hard work is something we can all learn to do. It doesn’t cost anything but our time and attention.

But getting the help of others can be tricky sometimes. Most people, if they’re honest with themselves, owe much of what they have to the help of others.

More often than not, the “others” are our parents, who often have the opportunity to provide their children with a “leg up” on the world.

But what happens when parents aren’t there, either through negligence or simply through circumstances such as the need to work two jobs?

School leaders suggest one of the keys to creating a successful educational environment is to have parents involved in each step of the process. Parental involvement means students know their parents are watching and that, more important, know parents care about what’s going on with their education.

Securing parental involvement can be a tricky thing to accomplish, however.

Logically,ߺ getting parents involved in their children’s education shouldn’t be that difficult, but it proves to be a hard nut to crack.

For some parents, working extra shifts or an extra job to help provide for their family makes attending school events difficult. Those folks should be given a pass, but for parents who simply don’t care and have no excuse, perhaps the district can find a way to goad them into joining in the process.

Early reports from the district’s new magnet school appear positive. One of the key factors is the school’s administration outlines exactly what is expected from the parents, and they don’t cut anyone slack.

If that continues to work for the magnet school, perhaps that same approach is needed district wide.