EDITORIAL:

Whenever you read about a well-spoken, successful student from your hometown, you can’t help but be proud. As any parent knows, much goes into producing a child who will foster that kind of reaction, continually surpassing expectations.

Students, teachers and parents in the area should receive a pat on the back after recently released test results show that, on the whole, scores are improving

Huntington Beach school districts, with a few exceptions in some subjects, kept their Standardized Testing and Reporting above county averages. All improved their Academic Performance Index scores, which are used to determine whether enough progress has been made.

While these improvements should be celebrated, there are also other areas of a student’s overall educational experience to focus on.

Parents should keep in mind that the API is not a test, but a way to measure a school’s performance and improvement. The index encourages schools to raise the test scores of the lowest-performing students. So, parents shouldn’t judge a school by its API score, or any one score. Just as students and educators are skeptical about the SATs, not all are completely sold on API scores. According to greatschools.net, parents examining schools should also factor in teacher experience, parent involvement and special programs.

Aside from good test scores, kids also need to be inspired to be creative, to be shown why it is always important to do their best, and to live in a community where that is possible.

Even if you don’t have kids, you should care about making the community a prosperous place for kids. As everyone knows, they are our future.

This includes supporting and preserving open space for children to run around in (an important part of being a kid), clean waters for kids to swim in (they can’t study if they get sick while playing) and safe streets free of speeding and drunken drivers.

Residents also need to elect leaders who have kids’ bests interests at heart. This doesn’t just mean politicians who say they want to improve education, but to the leaders who actually have a plan that details specific ways schools can be improved.

This will produce the type of substance and intelligence we wish for all current and future Huntington Beach students.