Drop out rates in Talladega County are being attacked from a variety of corners throughout the county, and citizens ought to be encouraged by the focus.

At Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, educators are adding a mentoring component to their drop-out prevention program thanks to a $150,000 grant secured by Sen. Richard Shelby.

In Talladega County schools, administrators are being lauded by county Circuit Judge Julian King for reducing truancy.

At Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement and in southern Talladega County schools and Sylacauga city schools, an intense focus on drop-out prevention is seeing degrees of success.

It is a critical issue to the county’s future and to the future of the children and teenagers who are at risk of dropping out. Their prospects for the future are severely limited if they do drop out — making them more likely to live in poverty and abuse drugs and alcohol, and putting them at greater risk of chronic unemployment and a host of other problems.

The programs being implemented throughout the county deserve continued support and expansion. Eliminating the drop-out problem can move the county forward as a whole and give youths an opportunity for a better future.

It is a worthy goal, and we commend all involved for their work in ensuring that students get the most out of their school years, which will help them lead more productive lives later on.