1. A computer-implemented method for optimizing parameter settings for an optical character recognition process, comprising: receiving a population comprising at least two sets of parameter settings; receiving an image comprising known text; for each set of parameter settings in the population, determining an accuracy score by: executing a set of pre-recognition functions using the set of parameter settings to modify the image according to the parameter settings to produce a modified image; executing an optical character recognition function on the known text in the modified image to produce an output; and testing the output to determine the accuracy score for the set of parameter settings by comparing the known text to the output; selecting a first set of parameter settings from the population based on the determined accuracy scores; receiving a second image separate from the image; executing the set of pre-recognition functions using the first set of parameter settings to modify the second image according to the first set of parameter settings to produce a modified second image; and executing the optical character recognition function on the modified second image to produce a second output.