The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jane Addams Elem School
Jane Addams Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Springfield, a mid-sized city that is Illinois's state capital and a hub for healthcare, government employment, and higher education. The school sits within Springfield School District 186, which in 2024-2025 adopted a new science-of-reading literacy curriculum (Benchmark Advance) across all elementary classrooms—a deliberate, system-wide shift toward phonics-based instruction that will shape how every child in the school learns to read for years to come.
The school enrolls a small to moderate number of students. Racially, the enrollment is predominantly Black, with a substantial share of white students and a smaller share of students identifying as multiracial. Enrollment data for students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, students with disabilities, and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to reach out to the school directly for detail on those populations and the support services available.
On state assessments administered in 2024-2025 (the Illinois Assessment of Readiness), proficiency rates at Jane Addams are low across tested grade levels and subjects. In math, third-grade proficiency stands at about one in three students; fourth grade at similar levels; and fifth grade falls to about one in eleven. In English language arts, third grade is at one in five, fourth grade improves to about half of students reaching proficiency, and fifth grade is at roughly one in three. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits at about one in five. These are the results the school is actually producing; they fall well below the median proficiency level among the district's schools in Sangamon County. Participation in the state assessments is high across the school.
The gap between fourth-grade ELA proficiency and other subjects deserves attention—that one subject in one grade shows substantially stronger results, and parents may want to ask the school whether that reflects genuine gains or a different cohort of students. The overall pattern reflects a school where the majority of students are not yet meeting state proficiency benchmarks, and a parent evaluating this school should weigh that alongside questions about the school's instructional execution, the implementation of the new literacy curriculum, and what support structures exist for students who are not yet proficient.
Springfield itself is a functioning state-government city with downtown civic anchors including the Capitol, Lincoln Library, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, clustered within walking distance of each other. The broader city is car-dependent—most errands require a car—though the Old State Capitol District around Adams and Washington Streets is genuinely pedestrian-friendly. The housing market is affordable relative to the national and state benchmarks. Civic life is concentrated downtown and in the medical district, while higher-education campuses sit separated from the core near the I-55 corridor. The Springfield Park District operates about 40 facilities including public golf courses, parks, and roughly 13 miles of bike trails.
The district is navigating significant fiscal pressure. It faces a multi-year operating deficit and the end of COVID relief funds, and has adopted a deficit reduction plan that cuts elementary literacy coaches from a larger to smaller number, right-sizes staffing through attrition, and raises some fees. Parents should expect larger class sizes and fewer support staff over the next few years. School closures have been placed on the table as a possibility. On a more constructive note, the district is exploring a new South Side elementary school on university-owned land, which could eventually add a new neighborhood option and shift attendance boundaries. The district is also advancing the new elementary literacy curriculum districtwide, which offers a coherent pedagogical foundation.
A parent considering Jane Addams should understand that this is a school with low current proficiency across core academics, situated in a district managing both budget constraints and a curriculum refresh. The new literacy curriculum is a strength and a meaningful investment in reading instruction, but implementation and results will take time to materialize. For families prioritizing strong academic performance or robust enrichment and support services, it would be worth visiting the school, reviewing its instructional practices, and understanding what additional help is available for students below grade level. For families seeking an affordable neighborhood elementary option in a functioning state capital city, Jane Addams offers a located, accessible choice, but the academic data should guide a realistic conversation about what support a student may need.
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