Mayor Timothy J. Davlin knows that growing communities require successful schools.  Increasingly, across the country, community leaders are recognizing that they have an important stake in the success or failure of local schools and are taking an active interest in promoting and supporting quality education.   Mayor Davlin was out front on this issue by appointing the first “Education Liaison” in the city’s history.   Now, the Mayor’s Office is a key player in education policy and school improvement as well as a visible supporter of public and private education throughout the community. 

“The strength of our community can be measured by the quality of our schools,” Mayor Tim Davlin said.  “While the City can be instrumental in creating economic development initiatives, nearly any form of job creation and expansion relies upon a well-educated work force.  Likewise, the future will be very promising for individuals who have a solid educational background and who can integrate themselves quickly into a twenty-first century work world.”

The Mayor’s Office of Education Liaison (OEL) seeks to build strong and lasting working relationships between city government and the educational community and strives to make educational excellence a top community-wide priority.  The scope of the Office covers both public and private, K-16+ schools and educational stakeholders within Springfield and the regional districts where school attendance and city boundaries intersect.  Major initiatives developed by the OEL address the following important educational policy topics: African-American Student Achievement and Success and High School Reform (authored major report in September, 2008), College Access, Closing the Achievement Gap, Parent Involvement, Childhood Obesity, School Safety, Teen Literacy and School Recycling.

Springfield’s vast and varied public and private pre-k, elementary, secondary and post-secondary educational system offers excellent opportunities for area residents.  The public education system boasts a gifted magnet school, year-round schools, a charter school, theme schools and several alternative education opportunities.  Springfield Public School District 186 serves over 15,000 pre k–12 students in 36 buildings including a new Early learning Center, 23 k-5 elementary buildings and a k-8 charter school, 5 middle schools and three high schools.  The district also operates 3 alternative school sites for students in the 5-12th grades and Lawrence Education Center, an adult learning center.  Extensive special education services are also available to identified students. 

Springfield is the proud home of the University of Illinois at Springfield, a four-year institution serving undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.  Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield serves the largest community college district in Illinois and Capital Area Career Center offers vocational education opportunities to Springfield and other central Illinois communities. Springfield is also home to Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

Springfield’s private school system is also varied and provides a rich educational experience to students and families.  Eight Catholic elementary schools, one high school and one college serve Springfield.  Other private schools include four Lutheran elementary schools and one high school, one Christian elementary school, one non-denominational combined elementary and secondary academy, two multi-age Montessori schools and Hope Institute for developmentally disabled students.  Robert Morris Business College also serves post-secondary students.

Public and private schools are spread throughout the community providing quality educational opportunities to all areas of the city.  Some Springfield residents are served by surrounding school districts in, Chatham, New Berlin, Pleasant Plains, Riverton, Rochester, Sherman and Williamsville, Illinois.