It’s our opinion that the parents or guardians of out-of-county students shouldn’t have to pay tuition to the public school division that the child attends.

We think that’s the place of tax dollars that come from local, state and federal sources.

It’s not an easy decision for a parent or guardian to decide to send their child to learn in another county.

The decision comes with numerous factors — the quality of the school and its academic, extracurricular and athletic offerings, the distance to the school and where their parents work and commute daily.

Of paramount importance in considering where a child learns is what’s best for him or her — the students’ interest above all others.

Many parents with children who live in the Heart of Virginia are on fixed incomes, and asking them to pay money to send their child to what they think is a better school isn’t right. Again, as we said before, that’s where tax dollars should be spent.

The most important investment a county, town or city can make is in its children’s education. Strong public schools, whether they’re teaching students who live in or outside of the locality, will move an area forward faster than anything else.

Great schools produce great graduates, who can contribute directly to their community and workforce by getting a job, starting their own business, raising a family, purchasing a home and making their community a better place to live, work and play for everyone.

Requiring those who don’t live in a locality to pay money to attend school there, when state funding and other sources of revenue for schools is contingent on the number of students enrolled, is unfair, and, in turn, can inhibit a child from reaching their full potential.