Why Do Small School Districts Do More?

I was at the Lake of the Ozarks this weekend.  I have sixteen acres down there.  It's not on the water.  It is in the woods and it is peaceful and quiet.  My taxes down there are so much less than they are in Lee's Summit.  If my cars were titled down there my personal property tax would be less than half of what I pay in Lee's Summit.

I went to the store to get some groceries.  The young girl at the register and I were talking.  She told me that her young brother was autistic.  She said that he was 12 years old.  He was diagnosed at 4.

She said that she wanted to be an Occupational Therapist.  She said that OT had made such a difference in her brother's life.  I asked her where he went to school.  She told me that it was the local elementary school.

I was so happy for her.  But, it saddened me.  My son didn't get OT after 5th grade.  Oh, the professionals that I took him to said that he needed it, but Lee's Summit R7 just didn't see it that way.  Of course, they didn't give him any services in middle school and very few in high school.

I wondered why a child in a very small school district would get more services and be given a better chance at success than a child that was in a school district that was supposed to be one of the best in Missouri.  It is isn't because that small district has more money.  They don't.  Their tax levy is so much less than Lee's Summit's.  Their tax levy is $2.8700.  Lee's Summit's tax levy is $6.0627.

It makes one wonder.  Maybe it is because we have a $12 million pool, an $8 million administration center, $250,000 band uniforms, artificial turf on our football fields, or our Superintendent is the highest paid in Missouri.

Whatever the reason is it makes me sad that my son didn't get what he needed and it wasn't because of resources.  I have paid more in taxes and my son was left behind.  I should have saved my money and moved to a district that cared.

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