Much has been made — for good reason — of the many area schools that failed to meet the federal government’s benchmark of “adequate yearly progress” on last year’s standardized testing.

It’s disappointing that Franklin, Southampton County and Isle of Wight County school divisions as a whole missed the target, and administrators, teachers, school boards, parents and students in each of those divisions must resolve to do better.

What shouldn’t be lost amid the bad news, however, is the fact that several individual schools within those divisions made their AYP marks.

Western Tidewater is blessed with some fine schools whose students perform well year in and year out. We commend schools like S.P. Morton Elementary in Franklin, Southampton High School and Carrsville Elementary in Isle of Wight County that consistently “measure up” on standardized tests.

It’s good to have role models within each division that lagging campuses can learn from.

The adage that a chain is only as strong is its weakest link is true. It certainly doesn’t hurt, though, to have some strong links in the chain. Area public school divisions can celebrate those schools that are excelling even as they shore up those that are failing.