The good news: Six schools in the Vicksburg Warren School District saw their state accountability rankings increase.

The bad news: It’s still not enough.

In a transforming economic world, today’s students will need to be better than average. Too many of our schools are still ranked in the middle of a seven-point state rating scale based on standardized test scores. The scale, from best to worst, is: Star, High Performing, Successful, Academic Watch, Low Performing, At Risk of Failing and Failing. The ratings are determined by student test scores on the state-mandated MCT2 for third- to eighth-graders and on the Subject Area Tests for junior high and high school students, as well as on a growth component.

Bowmar Elementary continues to be the beacon for school performance in the district, holding onto its high performing rating. Redwood Elementary dropped from High Performing to Successful, but officials said May’s Mississippi River flooding, which forced Redwood’s closure and the shifting of students to other schools just in time for the pivotal tests, contributed to the ratings decrease. Warren Central and Beechwood Elementary moved up from Academic Watch to Successful, and Bovina Elementary stayed Successful.

We commend both Vicksburg High and Warren Central Junior High for jumping two spots from At Risk of Failing to Academic Watch. They’re showing marked improvement. Vicksburg Junior High and Warren Central Intermediate also jumped a spot each, but are still rated as Low Performing. Vicksburg Intermediate and Warrenton Elementary are still on Academic Watch. South Park Elementary, after vaulting three spots to Successful from At Risk of Failing, dropped one spot to Academic Watch.

In the ever-changing technological and economic world, an educated populace is paramount. Education should begin at home and carry over to the schools and back home again. The progress made by the VWSD should be viewed as a positive, but too many schools are rated as either average or below, according to the scale.

Average should never be good enough. Hard work, dedication to learning and a thirst for knowledge will propel this district forward.

We commend the superintendent, the teachers, the administrators, the parents and especially the students. But all must remember this is only a start — nowhere near the finish line.