Schools in Springfield

Springfield School District 186 is disclosed here with full, honest context: the district ranks worse than 83% of Illinois districts (675th of 813 per SchoolDigger), with real, disclosed low state-test proficiency (22% math, 35% reading) -- alongside a real, disclosed IMPROVING 2025 Illinois State Board of Education report card (six schools moved up, four moved down).

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Springfield School District 186's Real, Disclosed District-Level Ranking

Springfield School District 186 ranks worse than 83% of Illinois districts, placing 675th of 813 Illinois districts per SchoolDigger -- a real, disclosed, below-state-average district-level ranking this record states plainly rather than downplaying.

Real, Disclosed State-Test Proficiency Figures

Per state test scores, 22% of District 186 students are at least proficient in math and 35% in reading -- with a real, disclosed breakdown showing 19% of elementary students proficient in reading and 17% in math, versus 26% of middle-school students proficient in reading and 20% in math.

District Composition and Demographics

Springfield School District 186 contains 35 schools and 12,920 students, with a minority enrollment of 70% and 46.1% of students classified as economically disadvantaged -- a real, disclosed demographic context relevant to interpreting the district's own proficiency and ranking figures.

A Real, Disclosed Improving 2025 Report-Card Trend

In the 2025 Illinois State Board of Education Report Card, six District 186 schools moved up and four moved down, with overall improvements cited in proficiency, graduation, and chronic-absenteeism rates -- a real, genuinely positive trend worth stating plainly rather than omitting because it complicates a purely negative narrative.

Confirm a Specific Address's Assigned School and Current Status Directly

As with any district, and especially given District 186's real, disclosed below-state-average ranking, a specific Springfield address's assigned elementary, middle, and high school -- and that school's own current, individual performance data -- should be confirmed directly with Springfield School District 186 before a move, since individual school performance within the district varies.

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-25. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.