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Independent ranking lists Springfield among top schools
March 31, 2003
Springfield Public Schools ranks in the top 20 percent of 1,500 school districts nationwide based on an evaluation conducted by “Expansion Management” magazine. Each year the magazine assigns an “education quotient,” or EQ, to school districts based on three criteria of interest to business and industry.
This year Springfield Public Schools earned an EQ of 80. “Expansion Management,” a leading site location and facility magazine, reported this score to subscribers in its December 2002 issue.
“I believe this ranking provides independent confirmation that our school district is doing an excellent job of educating students,” said Superintendent Jack Ernst. “We know from internal indicators that Springfield is an outstanding school district, but it is very gratifying to have that reinforced by outside sources.”
Business and industry leaders rely on the annual EQ ranking to compare the quality of workforce they can likely expect in various communities throughout the United States.
“The business and professional community realizes how critical education is to workforce development,” said Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce President Jim Anderson. “The future of our economy rests with the students in today’s classrooms. A well-qualified workforce makes the difference for companies that are expanding or companies that are considering moving to our community. Springfield Public Schools is doing an outstanding job of preparing tomorrow’s leaders-and this ranking confirms it.”
The survey evaluated about 98 percent of all school districts nationwide with an enrollment of 4,800 or more students located in cities with a population of at least 15,000. In Missouri 31 school districts were ranked.
To determine the EQ, the magazine assessed points from 1 to 99 for three indices: graduate outcome, resource index and community index.
Graduate outcome measures the final output of a district's schools and includes average college-entrance exam scores and graduation rates. This is the most important and, consequently, the most heavily weighted factor in the final EQ calculation. Springfield scored 87 on graduate outcome.
Resource index measures a community's financial commitment to public education. It includes things such as teachers' salaries, student-teacher ratios and per-pupil expenditures. Springfield scored 20 on the resource index.
Community index measures the economic and educational background of the adult population. Springfield scored 38 on the community index.
“Our overall EQ is very positive, ranking us in the top 20 percent nationwide,” Ernst said. “It is disappointing though to see our community ranked in the bottom 20 percent nationwide based on financial support provided to our schools.”
According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Springfield Public Schools ranks 386 out of 523 districts in the state based on a comparison of tax levies. Roughly 64 percent of the school districts in Missouri have a higher levy than Springfield