Eat a good breakfast.

Get plenty of sleep.

Stay focused and give it your all.

These tidbits of advice pertain to students at any time of the school year, but they’re particularly crucial now.

Transitional Colorado Assessment Program testing is underway in the Moffat County School District, and the results could have wide-reaching effects for local schools and, indirectly, the community as a whole.

With that said, the editorial board commends local businesses that are supporting and encouraging students to give their best on TCAP tests this year.

McDonalds, for instance, provided free breakfast Tuesday morning for Craig third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders taking the TCAP.

Maximum Commitment to Excellence is spearheading an effort to post signs and banners around town to urge students to “show what they know” on TCAP, a modified version of the Colorado Student Assessment Program.

These and other efforts outside the school are vital. If students are going to succeed, they need all stakeholders — not just teachers and administrators — standing behind them.

And, make no mistake, the quality of education has implications far beyond classroom walls.

Children and teens taking the test today will some day own local businesses, hold office in local government, and cast ballots in future elections that will impact Craig and Moffat County.

How well students score on TCAP — and, by extension, how well Moffat County schools are preparing them for the future — says something about the community’s future.

Granted, these scores are by no means the sole indicator of a quality education. Even the effectiveness of high-stakes tests like TCAP is still up for debate.

But the test provides a measurement of growth and achievement. It deserves to be taken seriously, not just by students but also by parents and the community.

Businesses and individuals who stand behind local students set an example worthy not only of praise but also of imitation.

Everyone, whether directly or indirectly, has a stake in whether students are motivated to “show what they know.”

Click here to have the print version of the Craig Daily Press delivered to your home.