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Willard Central Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-4

90^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 900 Missouri Elementary Schools

Better than 90% of Missouri elementary schools

Summary

Willard Central Elementary is a high-performing public elementary school serving grades PK-4 in the Willard R-II School District in Springfield, Missouri. With 402 students, the school consistently outperforms the district and the state of Missouri in academic achievement, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the 2024-2025 school year.

Willard Central Elementary's academic excellence is evident in its strong standardized test scores, with 64% of 3rd graders and 65% of 4th graders proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 52.8% and 53.4% for the Willard R-II district, and 41.4% and 43.8% for the state of Missouri. The school also excels in supporting diverse student populations, ranking 19th out of 638 Missouri elementary schools for low socioeconomic status students and 31st out of 107 for special education students in the 2022-2023 school year. Additionally, Willard Central Elementary has lower chronic absenteeism rates than the district and state averages.

While Willard Central Elementary outperforms the Willard R-II district and the state, some nearby schools within the same district, such as Willard North Elementary and Willard East Elementary, also demonstrate strong academic performance, suggesting the Willard R-II district as a whole is providing a high-quality education. Willard Central Elementary's consistent high performance, focus on equity and inclusion, and financial investment in its students make it a model for other elementary schools in the region and the state.

404

Students ?

12.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,181

Per pupil spending ?

41.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2625 N Farm Rd 101
Springfield, MO 65802-6457

(417) 831-4440

District: Willard R-II

Students who attend Willard Central Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Willard Intermediate North
	Willard Middle
High:	Willard High

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.6%

Two or more races:

2.7%

Hispanic:

2.5%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 86th percentile in 2015 → 90th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Missouri average (64% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 10% of Missouri elementary schools

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school64%

District avg52%

Missouri avg42%

90^th of 900

Missouri public elementary schools ?

Top 10%▲ up 4 pts since 2015

From top 14% (2015) to top 10% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Missouri Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 5Elementary Schools in the Willard R-II

54^th of 367Willard R-II among Missouri districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	88.1	90 of 900	90.0%	★★★★★
2024	83.4	121 of 906	86.6%	★★★★☆
2023	73.4	204 of 898	77.3%	★★★★☆
2022	71.3	229 of 908	74.8%	★★★★☆
2021	72.8	212 of 901	76.5%	★★★★☆
2019	71.4	245 of 1052	76.7%	★★★★☆
2018	73.7	238 of 1045	77.2%	★★★★☆
2017	88.1	70 of 1032	93.2%	★★★★★
2016	81.2	138 of 865	84.0%	★★★★☆
2015	82.3	149 of 1058	85.9%	★★★★☆
2014	84.5	113 of 1089	89.6%	★★★★☆
2013	83.5	108 of 1108	90.3%	★★★★★
2012	71.6	264 of 1085	75.7%	★★★★☆
2011	74.0	223 of 1088	79.5%	★★★★☆
2010	95.1	9 of 1066	99.2%	★★★★★
2009	66.5	295 of 1053	72.0%	★★★★☆
2008	70.3	242 of 1084	77.7%	★★★★☆
2007	75.9	167 of 1080	84.5%	★★★★☆
2006	59.0	397 of 1074	63.0%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2018	70.1	65 of 251	74.1%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	95.7	19 of 638	97.0%	★★★★★
2024	85.5	45 of 625	92.8%	★★★★★
2019	61.1	282 of 907	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	77.4	106 of 887	88.0%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2023	58.4	31 of 107	71.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Missouri percentile	Rating
2025	81.9	104 of 666	84.4%	★★★★☆
2024	72.7	162 of 668	75.7%	★★★★☆
2023	60.6	247 of 673	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.3	278 of 675	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	72.2	168 of 691	75.7%	★★★★☆
2019	65.5	268 of 917	70.8%	★★★★☆
2018	65.8	282 of 898	68.6%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)97th percentile+7 vs school

White (2025)84th percentile-6 vs school

Disabled (2018)74th percentile-3 vs school

Special Education (2023)71st percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Missouri (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics65%+22 vs state

English Language Arts62%+20 vs state

★

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Schools Near Willard Central Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MAP Mathematics (2025)			MAP Science (2025)	MAP English Language Arts (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Willard Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	2625 N Farm Rd 101	Springfield	65802	Greene County	Willard R-II	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 831-4440	404	32	12.4	41.3%	370 (91.6%)	6 (1.5%)	10 (2.5%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.7%)	88.1	90^th of 900 public elementary schools	90.0%		83.4	121^st of 906 public elementary schools	86.6%	31	64.0	65.0			61.5			$11,181	$795	$10,387
Willard South Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	4151 W Division	Springfield	65802	Greene County	Willard R-II	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 862-6308	395	34	11.7	58.2%	290 (73.4%)	35 (8.9%)	43 (10.9%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (5.6%)	28.9	671^st of 900 public elementary schools	25.4%		37.4	585^th of 906 public elementary schools	35.4%	86	25.7	30.5			34.6			$11,243	$902	$10,341
Willard North Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	409 Farmer Rd	Willard	65781	Greene County	Willard R-II	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 742-2597	340	30	11.2	44.7%	314 (92.4%)	5 (1.5%)	14 (4.1%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	90.8	66^th of 900 public elementary schools	92.7%		84.1	115^th of 906 public elementary schools	87.3%	49	64.8	69.2			64.8			$13,788	$452	$13,336
Willard Orchard Hills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	4595 Farm Road 140	Springfield	65802	Greene County	Willard R-II	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 869-0600	394	34	11.5	45.7%	299 (75.9%)	32 (8.1%)	38 (9.6%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.1%)	64.2	318^th of 900 public elementary schools	64.7%		57.6	372^nd of 906 public elementary schools	58.9%	54	48.3	43.0			45.1	58.2		$13,182	$933	$12,249
Willard East Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	518 Kime	Willard	65781	Greene County	Willard R-II	No	No	No	No	(417) 742-4639	322	25	12.9	34.8%	316 (98.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	81	153^rd of 900 public elementary schools	83.0%		76.6	181^st of 906 public elementary schools	80.0%	28	63.3	63.0			47.4	62.9		$11,368	$443	$10,925
Bissett Elementary	Public	K-5	3014 W Calhoun	Springfield	65802	Greene County	Springfield R-Xii	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 523-2800	187	17	11.3	87.2%	109 (58.3%)	31 (16.6%)	25 (13.4%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (10.2%)	33.6	633^rd of 900 public elementary schools	29.7%		30.5	652^nd of 906 public elementary schools	28.0%	19	20.0	23.8	29.0	21.1	28.3	45.9	49.9	$15,756	$1,561	$14,196
Westport Elementary	Public	K-5	415 S Golden	Springfield	65802	Greene County	Springfield R-Xii	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 523-3100	351	30	11.7	80.6%	214 (61.0%)	41 (11.7%)	47 (13.4%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	3 (0.9%)	42 (12.0%)	7.5	845^th of 900 public elementary schools	6.1%		12.8	808^th of 906 public elementary schools	10.8%	37	12.0	11.2	8.2	9.8	17.0	11.2	16.5	$14,158	$1,223	$12,935
Williams Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2205 W Kearney	Springfield	65803	Greene County	Springfield R-Xii	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 523-2000	412	29	14.0	84.7%	251 (60.9%)	61 (14.8%)	60 (14.6%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.0%)	31 (7.5%)	19.8	736^th of 900 public elementary schools	18.2%		24.1	697^th of 906 public elementary schools	23.1%	39	13.8	24.5	16.5	27.9	14.0	30.5	32.1	$12,990	$1,143	$11,847
York Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2100 Nichols	Springfield	65802	Greene County	Springfield R-Xii	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 523-3000	225	17	13.6	88.0%	145 (64.4%)	23 (10.2%)	27 (12.0%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (12.0%)	49.8	470^th of 900 public elementary schools	47.8%		32.5	634^th of 906 public elementary schools	30.0%	164	43.5	37.4			40.9			$14,462	$820	$13,642
Watkins Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	732 W Talmage	Springfield	65803	Greene County	Springfield R-Xii	No	No	No	Yes	(417) 523-5000	252	20	12.9	78.2%	146 (57.9%)	26 (10.3%)	45 (17.9%)	2 (0.8%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (11.9%)	31.7	651^st of 900 public elementary schools	27.7%		44.8	509^th of 906 public elementary schools	43.8%	142	12.6	51.4	33.2	27.3	20.9	42.3		$13,192	$1,172	$12,020

Frequently Asked Questions about Willard Central Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Willard Central Elementary?

Students at Willard Central Elementary are 92% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 1% African American.

What district is Willard Central Elementary in?

Willard R-II

How many students attend Willard Central Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 404 students attended Willard Central Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Willard Central Elementary attend?

Students who attend Willard Central Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Willard Intermediate North
Middle : Willard Middle
High : Willard High

Is Willard Central Elementary a good school?

Yes. Willard Central Elementary ranks in the top 10.0% of Missouri elementary schools.

Rate Willard Central Elementary!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.