Springfield Elementary, Springfield MN

Original Research by School Decision on Springfield Elementary

Springfield Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade in the small agricultural town of Springfield, in Brown County. The school is a regular public elementary building within the Springfield Public School District. Its enrollment is modest for a K-6 campus, and the student body is predominantly White, with a notable Hispanic minority and small shares of students who are American Indian or identify as two or more races. Roughly half of the students qualify for free or reduced‑price meals, a figure that aligns with the working‑class character of the community.

Academically, the school posts strong results in mathematics across the tested grades. In reading and English language arts the picture is more mixed. On the most recent state assessments, older elementary grades in ELA performed at a rate that is solid, while a lower grade posted a figure that is lower; a parent may want to ask the school about literacy support in the primary years. Science is tested only in fifth grade, and the share of students reaching proficiency there is low. That single‑year science result is a soft spot worth investigating directly with the school, since the data available does not show a trend and the assessment framework changed in the same year, which complicates comparisons.

Despite that one weak area, the school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Brown County when measured against other schools in those districts. This is a strong showing for a rural elementary. Publicly reported recognition reinforces that picture: Springfield Elementary was named a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, a federal honor that signals academic excellence and a school that performs well above expectations.

The town of Springfield itself is a compact rural community with a historic Main Street, a mix of agricultural and light industrial employers, and a population that has been stable to declining. Housing values are well below national and state medians, making the area affordable for families. The district recently completed a major capital construction investment that will affect the physical facility for years ahead.

There is no data available on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staffing ratios for this school. The civil rights data is absent as well, so a family concerned about disciplinary equity or special education services would need to request that information directly.

Overall, Springfield Elementary demonstrates clear strength in mathematics and a commendable overall proficiency standing among its county peers. The Blue Ribbon designation gives an independent signal of quality. The lower science and mixed ELA results are areas where a prospective family may want to ask follow‑up questions about curriculum and intervention. For a family living in or moving to this part of southern Minnesota, the school offers a solid academic foundation with a small‑town setting and a district that has invested in its facilities.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 390%

School 90% · District 90%

▲ 35 pts above state median

Grade 494%

School 94% · District 94%

▲ 42 pts above state median

Grade 573%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 38 pts above state median

Grade 684%

School 84% · District 84%

▲ 56 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 365%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 23 pts above state median

Grade 445%

School 45% · District 45%

▲ 4 pts above state median

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 60%

▲ 6 pts above state median

Grade 674%

School 74% · District 74%

▲ 28 pts above state median

Science

Grade 518%

School 18% · District 18%

▼ 7 pts below state median

This schoolSPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income68%Higher-income62%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income50%Higher-income40%10 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income67%14 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income57%Higher-income84%28 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income84%Higher-income95%11 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income96%Higher-income92%3 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income76%Higher-income71%5 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income74%Higher-income90%16 pp gap