School bells will soon begin to echo in the ears of Pike County children. Both Troy city and Pike County schools bring children back to class Aug. 6.

Some students will return to renovated classrooms and buildings, others will return to find new teachers and administrators.

Among the changes this year at Troy City Schools is the requirement that all students must prove they live inside the city's school district. Two forms of proof are required, as is a notorarized residency affidavit.

These requirements stem from a court order to ensure that only those students legally entitled to attend Troy schools actually attend the school. The forms, school officials say, should be in by the end of July.

While this added requirement for enrollment may seem like wasted time and effort, they do serve a purpose.

In this case, the process may well serve both city and county schools, ensuring that students are attending the correct schools and protecting state and federal funds that flow into school districts based on attendance.

Parents should realize that school officials are merely complying with a court order aimed at improving education not only within the Troy system, but within the entire county.