Summary:
The Springfield School District 186 in Illinois is home to 5 middle schools, serving students in grades 6-8. These schools include Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Jefferson Middle School, Washington Middle School, U.S. Grant Middle School, and Lincoln Magnet School.
Among these middle schools, Lincoln Magnet School stands out as the top performer, ranking 191 out of 1,363 Illinois middle schools and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. Lincoln Magnet School boasts the highest proficiency rates in English Language Arts (70.3%), Mathematics (41.8%), and Science (89.2%), as well as the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 14.6%. In contrast, the other middle schools in the district struggle with significantly lower proficiency rates and much higher chronic absenteeism, ranging from 37.3% to 66.3%.
Across the district, there are some concerning trends, including high free/reduced lunch rates (52.59% to 80.23%), indicating significant economic disadvantage among the student populations. Additionally, while per-student spending is relatively high, ranging from $20,760 to $22,903, this does not seem to translate to stronger academic outcomes for most schools. Addressing the systemic challenges, such as chronic absenteeism, low proficiency rates, and economic disadvantage, should be the district's top priorities to improve educational outcomes for all students.
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