The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in Science. The lowest is 5% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Jefferson Middle School
Jefferson Middle School serves about 500 students in grades six through eight in Springfield, Illinois, within Springfield SD 186. The school's academic performance shows a clear pattern: it is significantly below proficiency across tested subjects, with particularly low results in mathematics.
In math, the proficiency rates are very low across all three grades. The lowest performance is in eighth grade, where very few students meet proficiency standards. Sixth and seventh grade results are only somewhat higher. In English language arts, the pattern is similar but slightly less severe. Sixth grade ELA proficiency is in the single digits as well, but seventh and eighth grades show modest improvement, with eighth grade reaching the high end of the school's reported range. Science proficiency in eighth grade sits in the middle-to-low range. Test participation is strong across all grades and subjects, above ninety-six percent in nearly every case, so the low proficiency numbers reflect actual student performance rather than incomplete testing.
When compared to other districts in Sangamon County, Jefferson sits in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. The school is considerably below the median and below all but a handful of its county neighbors on this measure.
The student body is approximately fifty-seven percent Black, about twenty-six percent white, roughly thirteen percent multiracial, and about four percent Hispanic, with a very small number of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. The school's racial composition reflects Springfield's broader demographic makeup. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, English learner enrollment, and special education enrollment were not available in the data provided, so a reader may want to look into those figures directly with the school or the district to understand more about student economic circumstances and support needs.
Jefferson is a regular public middle school and one of the district's neighborhood schools. The district is currently navigating significant budget pressures and has adopted a multi-year deficit reduction plan that includes cuts to literacy coaching staff, right-sizing of positions through attrition, and other cost reductions. Class sizes may grow as a result. Families should be aware that this fiscal environment may affect the level of support and enrichment available in the school over the next several years.
At the same time, Springfield SD 186 has invested in a new elementary literacy curriculum focused on the science of reading and phonics beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, a district-wide shift that will eventually flow into the middle grades as those cohorts advance. This reflects a deliberate pedagogical direction aimed at strengthening early reading instruction.
Jefferson's location at 3001 South Allis Street places it in Springfield's south-side residential area. Housing in the zipcode is moderately priced, with a median home value significantly below the Illinois state benchmark, and rents are similarly moderate. This is a neighborhood school for families living on the south side of Springfield.
The very low proficiency results raise clear questions about student readiness in core academic subjects. A parent considering this school should ask the building directly about literacy and numeracy interventions, tutoring support, and how the school is responding to these results. The district's ongoing curriculum work and literacy-coaching adjustments may address some underlying issues in reading instruction, but Jefferson's current performance is a significant factor to weigh in any enrollment decision.
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