Wilcox Elem School, Springfield IL

Original Research by School Decision on Wilcox Elem School

Wilcox Elementary is a small K-5 school on the north side of Springfield serving about two hundred and fifty students. The student body is roughly evenly split between Black and white students, with smaller shares identifying as multiracial, Hispanic, or Asian, reflecting Springfield's demographics. Very few students are English learners; free-and-reduced lunch data was not available, so a parent may want to contact the school directly about the socioeconomic context of the enrollment.

The school's test results are a major soft spot. On the 2024-25 Illinois Assessment of Readiness in mathematics, proficiency is very low: roughly one in eight third graders, one in six fourth graders, and one in seven fifth graders scored at proficient or above. In English language arts the pattern is similar, though with more variation: third grade is also in the low teens, fourth grade is at one in four, and fifth grade climbs to about three in five. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits at about one in three. Across those tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency rate places it in the bottom quartile among Sangamon County schools. A parent may want to look into this further with the school—ask about how the staff is addressing these results, what intervention structures exist, and whether the school participates in any improvement initiatives.

The district is a useful context. Springfield SD 186 has adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum, Benchmark Advance, based on phonics and the science of reading, effective in the 2024-25 school year. This is a meaningful pedagogy shift across all elementary classrooms. At the same time, the district faces substantial budget pressure and has adopted a multi-year deficit reduction plan that includes cuts to elementary literacy coaching positions, potential teaching vacancies, and tighter budgets for school support. Classes may grow as a result. The district is also exploring a new elementary school on the south side, which could eventually shift attendance boundaries. Parents moving to or staying in the north Springfield area should be aware of these dynamics and that the district is working within financial constraints.

Housing in the Hastings Road area is accessible. Median home values are well below state and national benchmarks, and monthly rents are modest, making the neighborhood genuinely affordable for families. Mortgage rates and rents are manageable relative to household income in the region.

Wilcox is a straightforward, small neighborhood elementary school. Its academic results are weak and warrant direct conversation with the school about how instruction and support are structured. The district-wide literacy initiative is a positive structural shift, but the school will need strong execution to move the needle. The affordability of the area is a real strength for working and lower-income families.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 312%

School 12% · District 29% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 26% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 21% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 315%

School 15% · District 32% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 38% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 561%

School 61% · District 42% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Science

Grade 535%

School 35% · District 29% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

This schoolSpringfield SD 186, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.