Letters are the building blocks of the English language. Some of those same alphabetic characters, when used as grades, create a measurement system for our students’ strengths and deficiencies. By extension, report cards are for more than just children.

When the Ohio Department of Education releases its annual reports, like it did earlier this week, the data provides a statistical accounting of how well our schools — and school districts as a whole — are doing in terms of meeting the state requirements and other benchmarks that are important to academic success.

It also offers a blueprint for changes that districts could use to achieve even greater successes.

That is what we hope that educators, teachers, students, parents and the entire community take away from these report cards.

Overall, Lawrence County schools performed very well, although there are still areas in which they can improve and focus their efforts.

Several schools in the county received excellent ratings and nearly every one showed marked improvement from prior years.

Hopefully, school districts will utilize this report as the tool that it is and focus on the changes needed to build an even stronger foundation for student success.