The Lee's Summit R-7 Board of Education voted to approve the purchase of Wilson language training for $20,330 and to renew the service agreement through June 30, 2026, after public comments and board discussion about the program’s cost, intensity and reach.

At a public comment period before the vote, resident Kristen Grubbs urged the board to examine how the district identifies and serves students with reading difficulties. “Why then has our below basic rate increased? … How come our specialized reading program for these very students has only reached 105 students in 4 years?” Grubbs said, citing district figures and program spending she summarized for the board.

The issue prompted questions from board members about program scope and cost-effectiveness. One board member asked whether the district could expand access if substantial money has been spent but only about 100 students have used the service. A staff member, Dr. Barger, described Wilson as an intensive, diagnostic intervention intended for students who have exhausted earlier tiers of support: “If you think of that logic…Wilson is the most intensive procedure. It's 1 on 1 or small group. It's very intense. It's very focused.”

Board member Dr. Nickens told colleagues he had consulted literacy experts and reviewed program materials and argued the program is designed specifically to serve students with dyslexia and other intensive needs. “Wilson is the only intervention that allows some continuity of support from elementary into middle school,” Nickens said, noting the district’s plan to develop an internal “resident expert” to reduce future training costs through a train‑the‑trainer model.

Board discussion emphasized that Wilson functions at a tier‑3 level of support—intensive, individualized instruction typically reserved for a smaller number of students—and that implementation requires certified instructors. The board cited the program’s heavy time commitment for staff certification as a reason why only a limited number of students have received Wilson services to date.

After discussion the board took formal action to purchase the training and renew the agreement through June 30, 2026. The motion passed with the board voice vote recorded as “Aye.”

Board materials and public remarks at the meeting noted past expenditures and student counts; the board did not present an independent, itemized verification of those totals at the meeting. The district indicated a plan to continue examining how to deploy interventions across tiers and to explore internal capacity building to reduce future training costs.