The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 45% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Owen Marsh Elem School
Owen Marsh Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Springfield, Illinois, as part of Springfield School District 186. The school sits in a mid-sized residential neighborhood in a state capital city whose economy centers on government, healthcare, and education. The school's enrollment is small for its grade band, with a student body that reflects Springfield's demographic makeup: a majority white enrollment with substantial Black and multiracial representation, and smaller Asian and Hispanic populations.
The most recent state testing data, from the 2024-25 school year, shows Owen Marsh performing below what a parent might look for. In mathematics, third-grade proficiency stands below the midpoint, fourth grade is slightly above it, and fifth grade falls notably below. In English language arts, third-grade results are around the midpoint, while fourth and fifth grades show stronger performance, particularly in fourth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade reached the midpoint. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the county's districts, which offers some context, though the mixed and often modest individual results remain the clearer picture. Testing cut scores changed in Illinois this year, making year-over-year comparison impossible, so longer-term trends are not visible here.
No data on free-or-reduced-price-lunch eligibility, English learner enrollment, special education enrollment, chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing levels are available for Owen Marsh, which limits what can be said about student support intensity and school resources. The district as a whole is navigating significant financial pressure. After spending more than anticipated in recent years, Springfield SD 186 has adopted a multi-year deficit reduction plan. The district cut elementary literacy coaching positions, is right-sizing staffing through attrition, and has flagged potential school closures as a possibility. Parents should expect larger class sizes and fewer support staff across the district.
On the curriculum side, the district did introduce a meaningful change. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, Springfield SD 186 adopted Benchmark Advance, a phonics-based elementary literacy program aligned to the science of reading. This is a district-wide shift in how children learn to read and represents a deliberate move toward structured literacy instruction. That curriculum change affects every elementary school in the district, including Owen Marsh.
Springfield itself is a functioning state capital with a downtown civic core anchored by government buildings, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, and the state and regional medical district. The city is car-dependent outside a small walkable downtown zone. Parks, biking trails, and a public library system exist, though civic life is concentrated downtown and the broader residential city is typical mid-size-Illinois sprawl. Housing values in Springfield are below the national benchmark, and rents are modest, making the area relatively affordable by national standards.
The district's future may include a new South Side elementary school on a large parcel near the University of Illinois Springfield campus, which would shift attendance boundaries if it is built. That development is still in preliminary stages but is worth monitoring for families considering where to enroll their children in Springfield SD 186.
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