Aside from assuring the general safety of our people, there is no greater local interest than to provide opportunity and achievement for our schoolchildren.

So it is a matter of serious concern that our local public schools have received only a "C" grade on the state's annual school "Report Card."

It's easy to point to problems. It's hard to solve them. Real solutions, of course, involve all individual students, their families, teachers and principals.

Since educational progress is a big part of each child's p rospect for future success, student motivation to learn is essential. Then it is the job of our schools to provide the youngsters effective launching pads.

That's why the biggest share of local and state tax money goes to schools.

That's why Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey was surely speaking for most of us in saying, "The sooner you can get that plan (to improve student achievement) in place, the better off we'll all be."

Schools Superintendent Jim Scales says there is a "controlled sense of urgency" for solution.

It's not "new" to urge more emphasis on "the basics." That has been true since "reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic" were cited as the educational essentials in the familiar old "School Days" song.

It's not hard to point out the problems. It is hard to point to -- and achieve -- solutions.

The first step, of course, is to acknowledge the problems. Then we need to address them with determination by all involved -- and those not yet involved enough -- to take the "hard" and "necessary" steps to do the "best" we can for our children.