A goal of getting 90 percent of students in Jasper and Beaufort counties to graduate from high school on time by 2020 is ambitious, but necessary. Our community and our economy depend on doing better than we have.

But it won't be easy, and it can't start in high school.

To read the rest of this opinion column, check in with our site tonight or pick up a copy of tomorrow's paper.

Today's most commented-on letter: "Guess what you get living next to airport?"