Nixa's test scores are really good, but at the expense of any sort of autonomy on the teacher's part. I personally think standardized test scores are a terrible way to judge a school, but Nixa has bought in fully. I know about a dozen teachers that teach there and they're ready to have a mutiny. Most are planning their exits. Nixa has no choice though; there's nothing else going on in Nixa. It's a bedroom community for Springfield's professionals, and they are voting for school board members to keep their test scores high, to keep their property values high, in the hopes that people moving in will equate high standardized test scores with a good school.

Many school districts are facing this same problem, but it's particularly bad in Nixa. Working for Springfield Public Schools is OK, but hit or miss depending on your principal. The deficiency in Springfield seems to be in the administration above principals but below the superintendent.

I'm a teacher in a surrounding district, and my district is awesome. I love it, and school system stands for what is genuinely important in education, and they follow through on their actions in student and teacher support. I'm not going to say what it is though, because I know some of my students are here.