PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) " Students in small and rural Oregon districts that get the most tax money outperform those in similar districts that receive less, a new study shows.Researcher Jerry Johnson of Ohio University said it was surprising that money was so obviously a factor because its influence is usually difficult to spot in academic studies.The report from the Rural School and Community Trust concluded that efforts at the state level to equalize spending on education aren't working as intended."The state funding mechanism is intended to level the playing field, but it does not do so among all rural Oregon …