Summary:
The 62704 zip code area of Springfield, Illinois is home to two middle schools, Benjamin Franklin Middle School and U.S. Grant Middle School, both part of the Springfield School District 186. While Benjamin Franklin Middle School appears to be the stronger performer, with consistently higher test scores across various subjects and grade levels, U.S. Grant Middle School struggles academically, with significantly lower test scores than Benjamin Franklin and the district/state averages.
Benjamin Franklin Middle School has 705 students and a student-teacher ratio of 12.7, while U.S. Grant Middle School has 527 students and a student-teacher ratio of 10.5. U.S. Grant has a much higher rate of free/reduced lunch recipients at 73.62%, compared to 56.31% at Benjamin Franklin. Despite the higher spending per student at U.S. Grant ($24,861) compared to Benjamin Franklin ($23,831), the academic performance gap between the two schools is significant, with U.S. Grant ranking 1,278 out of 1,368 Illinois middle schools, while Benjamin Franklin is ranked 833 out of 1,368.
Both schools face high rates of chronic absenteeism, at 25.4% for the 2024-2025 school year, which may be impacting their overall academic performance. Addressing attendance issues could be a key focus area for improvement in the 62704 zip code area. The contrast in school performance and rankings highlights the need for targeted interventions and resource allocation to ensure all students in this area have access to quality educational opportunities.
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