The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in Science. The lowest is 37% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Bingham Elem.
Bingham Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the Springfield R-XII district, a regular public school located on East Cherry Street in the city. It is one of many elementary schools in Missouri’s third-largest city, a regional hub where healthcare systems CoxHealth and Mercy are the largest employers and where universities such as Missouri State and Drury contribute to the local economy. The student body of about four hundred is majority white, with substantial representation of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students, and a much smaller number of Asian and Native American children. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which signals a high-poverty school environment, and the proportion of students receiving those meals is well above what is typical in the district.
State assessment results from the Missouri Assessment Program are available for grades three through five in math and English language arts, and for grade five in science. Across all tested subjects and grades, Bingham’s overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quarter when compared to other districts in Greene County. A parent looking at the school’s performance should know that proficiency rates vary notably by grade and subject. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced is below two-fifths in each grade, with a modest upward trend from third to fifth grade. English language arts results show a steeper climb: third grade proficiency is about three in ten, fourth grade rises to roughly two in five, and fifth grade reaches a majority of students meeting the standard. Fifth graders also take a science assessment, where slightly fewer than half of students score proficient. The improving trajectory in ELA, especially by the time students reach the upper elementary grades, is a noteworthy pattern, but the school’s overall academic standing is clearly below the midpoint of its county peers.
Because Bingham serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not have high school outcomes that could be evaluated. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, and special education or English learner populations were not available in the public records reviewed, so a parent may want to follow up directly with the school about class sizes and support services. The district recently passed a bond issue that funds facility improvements without raising property taxes, and that work could affect physical learning environments across the district, though it is not clear which schools or projects are prioritized.
The school’s location in Springfield places it in a city with a traditional downtown centered on Park Central Square, a grid street pattern, and a mix of residential and commercial areas. The city’s population growth has been modest, and median home values in the area are lower than both the state and national benchmarks, with rents also below national medians, making the community relatively affordable for families. The district itself covers the entire city of Springfield, and its elementary schools draw from neighborhoods that vary in income and housing stock. Bingham’s high rate of economic disadvantage means many families may qualify for federal meal programs and other supports, and that context is often associated with additional academic needs that schools work to address.
There are no programs listed for Bingham, such as magnet themes or specialty tracks, and the data does not indicate whether the school offers before- or after-care or extracurricular activities. As a regular elementary school operating within a large urban district, its role is to provide a foundational education in core subjects for its neighborhood families. A parent considering Bingham will want to weigh the improving academic trajectory, especially in reading by fifth grade, against the school’s current placement among Greene County districts. The high-poverty context is a clear factor, and families may want to ask about tutoring, intervention programs, and how the school supports students who arrive below grade level. The absence of civil rights data, such as discipline rates or access to advanced coursework, means those questions would need to come from conversations with the school itself.
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