Early Learning Center

Springfield SD 186
2501 S 1st St
Springfield, IL 62704
549 Students
Pre Kindergarten Pre-K - Pre-K
School Overview
The Early Learning Center located at 2501 S 1st St in Springfield, Illinois, serves as a specialized educational facility within the Springfield Public Schools District 186. As an institution dedicated to early childhood development, it primarily focuses on providing foundational learning experiences for preschool-aged children. The school is designed to support the transition into formal education by emphasizing social, emotional, and cognitive development through structured, play-based curriculum and age-appropriate instruction.

The center acts as a hub for inclusive early education, often coordinating with district-wide initiatives to support students with varying needs, including those enrolled in state-funded preschool programs. By creating a nurturing environment, the facility aims to bridge the gap between home and elementary school, ensuring that young learners in the Springfield community develop the essential school-readiness skills—such as literacy, numeracy, and interpersonal communication—required for long-term academic success.
549
Total Students
28.0
Full-Time Teachers
19.6
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
Free/Reduced Lunch
Student Demographics
  • Black
    252 (45.9%)
  • White
    158 (28.8%)
  • Two or More
    96 (17.5%)
  • Hispanic
    25 (4.6%)
  • Asian
    17 (3.1%)
  • American Indian
    1 (0.2%)
School Location
School Details
Status: Open
School Level: Pre Kindergarten
School Type: Regular School
Charter Status:* Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction: No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status: No
District: Springfield SD 186
Phone: (217)525-3163
Website: http://www.sps186.org/o/elc/
Grade Range: Pre-K - Pre-K
Total Students: 549
Full-Time Teachers (FTE): 28.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 19.6
NSLP Participation:1 Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch: 0
Qualified Reduced Lunch: 0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

1 National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught
Pre-Kindergarten 549
Gender Ratio