Public schools in Springfield, IL
40 open public schools with an address in Springfield, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
40
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
13,014
38 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.2:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
1
4 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Springfield public schools
The federal directory lists 40 public schools in Springfield, IL: 21 elementary, 5 middle, 9 high, 5 combined or other. The 38 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 13,014 students, an average of 342 per school. The largest campus is Springfield High School (1,308 students), and the largest elementary school is Dubois Elem School (469).
Springfield SD 186 operates the most schools here (34), plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.2:1, lower than the statewide school median of 13:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 4 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 9 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 10 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 64% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Springfield
Elementary schools in Springfield
21| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 234 | 12.6:1 | |
| Butler Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 367 | 13.8:1 | |
| Dubois Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 469 | 15.1:1 | |
| Elizabeth Graham Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 241 | 6:1 | |
| Enos Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 245 | 11.1:1 | |
| Fairview Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 302 | 12.3:1 | |
| Feitshans Elem Sch Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 288 | 12.5:1 | |
| Harvard Park Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 370 | 12.6:1 | |
| Hazel Dell Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 140 | 11.4:1 | |
| Iles Elem School Springfield SD 186 · Magnet | 01–08 | 414 | 18:1 | |
| Jane Addams Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 243 | 11.6:1 | |
| Laketown Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 135 | 8.4:1 | |
| Lindsay School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 438 | 13.4:1 | |
| Matheny-Withrow Elem Sch Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 216 | 10.2:1 | |
| McClernand Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 213 | 12.2:1 | |
| Owen Marsh Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 324 | 17.5:1 | |
| Ridgely Elem School Springfield SD 186 | PK–05 | 343 | 15.6:1 | |
| Sandburg Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 279 | 16.4:1 | |
| Southern View Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 171 | 12.7:1 | |
| Springfield Ball Charter School Springfield SD 186 · Charter | KG–08 | 394 | 15.2:1 | |
| Wilcox Elem School Springfield SD 186 | KG–05 | 241 | 12.1:1 |
Middle schools in Springfield
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Franklin Middle School Springfield SD 186 · Magnet | 06–08 | 709 | 13.1:1 | |
| Jefferson Middle School Springfield SD 186 | 06–08 | 517 | 12:1 | |
| Lincoln Magnet School Springfield SD 186 · Magnet | 06–08 | 300 | 12:1 | |
| U S Grant Middle School Springfield SD 186 | 06–08 | 498 | 10.9:1 | |
| Washington Middle School Springfield SD 186 | 06–08 | 516 | 10.3:1 |
High schools in Springfield
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Area Career Center Menard/Sangamon ROE · Career and Technical School | 11–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Douglas School Springfield SD 186 · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Lanphier High School Springfield SD 186 | 09–12 | 1,117 | 14.3:1 | |
| Sangamon Co Detention Center Springfield SD 186 · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Sangamon County Learning Academy Menard/Sangamon ROE · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Sangamon Safe School Program Menard/Sangamon ROE · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Springfield High School Springfield SD 186 | 09–12 | 1,308 | 16.4:1 | |
| Springfield Learning Academy Springfield SD 186 · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Springfield Southeast High Sch Springfield SD 186 · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,229 | 15.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Springfield
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Learning Center Springfield SD 186 | PK–PK | 549 | 19.6:1 | |
| Edwin A Lee Elementary School Springfield SD 186 | KG–12 | 204 | 10.2:1 | |
| Project Impact Menard/Sangamon ROE · Alternative School | 04–12 | 0 | — | |
| SASED Central-Proj Ican & Pace Sangamon Area Spec Ed Dist · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| SASED Central-Proj Ican & Pace-INT Sangamon Area Spec Ed Dist · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White35.1%
- Hispanic3.8%
- Black44.8%
- Asian2.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial13%
Enrollment-weighted across 31 Springfield schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (13,014 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Springfield
How many public schools are in Springfield, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 40 open public schools with a location address in Springfield: 21 elementary, 5 middle, 9 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 13,014 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Springfield?
Schools with an address in Springfield belong to 3 education agencies, led by Springfield SD 186 (34 schools), Menard/Sangamon ROE (4 schools), Sangamon Area Spec Ed Dist (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Springfield?
Springfield High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Springfield, with 1,308 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Springfield?
Yes. 1 of the 40 public schools in Springfield are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Springfield Ball Charter School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Springfield schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Springfield public schools is 12.2:1, lower than the Illinois school median of 13:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Springfield guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Illinois cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Illinois cities