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My husband has recently been offered an excellent job in Springfield, MO. We have been giving it very serious consideration. However, I am from the East Coast and he is from the Rocky Mountain area, and we have some major concerns about transplanting our family to this area of the country--potentially for the rest of our lives. We are drawn to the low cost of living and conservative values. We are very uncertain about school quality (as the test scores seem quite low), lack of cultural opportunities, high poverty level, and the seeming high crime statistics. Also, if you don't enjoy hunting or fishing, is there anything to do in the area? Some "official" sources claim this is a fabulous place to raise a family; other equally "official" sources say it is one of the worst. I have read through a number of other posts on this forum and can't seem to define any clear answers to these concerns. Are any of these concerns founded? If you love living in Springfield, please tell me WHY. And if you hate it, tell me that, too. I am trying to be objective and would appreciate thoughtful, objective responses.
Springfield is a good city and like most large cities it has its ups and downs. There are really a lot of things to do in the area. I hate Springfield because I hate large amounts of traffic lol. I live about 50 miles south in Reeds Spring. I have a lot of family that lives in Springfield.
I doubt that I personally would try to raise children in Springfield today - I would locate in Rogersville, Nixa, or Willard, or perhaps Ozark. None of these communities is more than 10 miles or so from Springfield and my perception is that all have better schools. They also have more sense of community making it easier for children to fit in.
Springfield schools are pretty much what you make of them. If you involve yourself in your child's education and seek and utilize the opportunities that are available (and there are many) then your child will do well. If you are using the schools as day care, then Springfield schools are just average to a bit above average compared to other mid-west cities. Springfield has the largest system in Missouri that can, in any sense, be considered successful.
I am not familiar with any statistics that show Springfield to have an abnormally high crime rate. There is a fair amount of crime associated with alcohol, the downtown bar scene, and the large number of college students in town, but is it any worse than any other comparable city? I'm asking here, I really do not know. I do know that there are streets in K.C. and St. Louis which I will not even drive down - day or night. There is nothing remotely like that in Springfield.
What cultural opportunities do you seek and how often do you need a fix? I ask because I find there are an amazing number of people who like the idea of having "culture" available, they just never seem to go to any of it (I have a daughter like that). At any rate, there is an astonishing amount of theater in town, a quite decent symphony, and (I'm told) an opera company. The Springfield Art Museum holds no one's interest for long, but St. Louis and Kansas City are just three or four hours away.
As far as things to do, what do you like to do? There are a great many social, religious, and philanthropic organizations with which to involve yourself. There are high school and college sports, as well as the Springfield Cardinals (AA minor league). There are a plethora of groups pursuing outdoor activites - hiking, running, triathalon, bicycling (road and off road), horseback riding, canoeing, rock climbing, spelunking, scuba diving, golf, tennis, drag racing, tractor pulls, rodeos I don't know what all. While Springfield itself is only about 170,000 people, the metro area is 400,000, so there is something for everyone. We tend not to intrude, however, so you will have to seek out like minded people, they are not looking for you.
Incidentally - if you are from the East you might find the reference above to "large amounts of traffic" confusing once you arrive. Compared to almost anywhere, Springfield traffic is a breeze. Having said that, just like the poster above, I moved 20 miles out of town in part because of traffic. Its what you get used to, I guess.
The best thing to do is visit and come back here and ask lots of questions. LOTS of questions.
I doubt that I personally would try to raise children in Springfield today - I would locate in Rogersville, Nixa, or Willard, or perhaps Ozark. None of these communities is more than 10 miles or so from Springfield and my perception is that all have better schools. They also have more sense of community making it easier for children to fit in.
Springfield schools are pretty much what you make of them. If you involve yourself in your child's education and seek and utilize the opportunities that are available (and there are many) then your child will do well. If you are using the schools as day care, then Springfield schools are just average to a bit above average compared to other mid-west cities. Springfield has the largest system in Missouri that can, in any sense, be considered successful.
I am not familiar with any statistics that show Springfield to have an abnormally high crime rate. There is a fair amount of crime associated with alcohol, the downtown bar scene, and the large number of college students in town, but is it any worse than any other comparable city? I'm asking here, I really do not know. I do know that there are streets in K.C. and St. Louis which I will not even drive down - day or night. There is nothing remotely like that in Springfield.
What cultural opportunities do you seek and how often do you need a fix? I ask because I find there are an amazing number of people who like the idea of having "culture" available, they just never seem to go to any of it (I have a daughter like that). At any rate, there is an astonishing amount of theater in town, a quite decent symphony, and (I'm told) an opera company. The Springfield Art Museum holds no one's interest for long, but St. Louis and Kansas City are just three or four hours away.
As far as things to do, what do you like to do? There are a great many social, religious, and philanthropic organizations with which to involve yourself. There are high school and college sports, as well as the Springfield Cardinals (AA minor league). There are a plethora of groups pursuing outdoor activites - hiking, running, triathalon, bicycling (road and off road), horseback riding, canoeing, rock climbing, spelunking, scuba diving, golf, tennis, drag racing, tractor pulls, rodeos I don't know what all. While Springfield itself is only about 170,000 people, the metro area is 400,000, so there is something for everyone. We tend not to intrude, however, so you will have to seek out like minded people, they are not looking for you.
Incidentally - if you are from the East you might find the reference above to "large amounts of traffic" confusing once you arrive. Compared to almost anywhere, Springfield traffic is a breeze. Having said that, just like the poster above, I moved 20 miles out of town in part because of traffic. Its what you get used to, I guess.
The best thing to do is visit and come back here and ask lots of questions. LOTS of questions.
Welcome. I am also from the east coast. I moved out here...I think 3-4 years ago. The time is flying by. Honestly I am surprised by how much I love it here. I don't live in Springfield; I go to school there but I live way out in the country. The land is beautiful here. There is so much less...pressure. Less pressure to rush, less pressure to have the biggest and the best. By no means am I saying it's perfect here, but I have zero desire to move back.
You might not only want to consider Springfield, but the surrounding, somewhat smaller suburbs as well, especially if you are worried about schools. However, it seems like even in the tiniest little country towns, where some of the schools aren't even accreditted, there are always a handful of students that go on to be lawyers, doctors, politicians, accountants, etc. I'm not saying schools aren't important, but family values and the child's own motivation are just as important if not more so.
Lack of culture opportunity? You bet. This is the whitest place in the world. Religious diversity generally means what Christian church you go to, or even which type of Baptist you are. Forget getting real pizza, real bagels, real Chinese food. I'm not saying you can't get decent food in Springfield, because you can...in fact there are some absolutely delicious places to eat. You can get ethnic foods in Springfield but it's not the same as what you are used to. I applaud your interest in diversity, and you can find some in Springfield, with effort. Springfield has four universities that host exchange students and a decent variety of ethnic-based activities on a regular basis, and community organizations organize ethnic events at times, too.
High poverty level. I am from New Jersey, one of the more affluent states in America. Compared to what I was used to, yes, there is much more poverty. But it's not ghetto poverty, like I dealt with in the pits of Trenton, Newark, etc. It's not the stereotype you may have in your mind of trailer park poverty either, although that certainly exists. Most of the poverty is people who are low income. Many women stay home with the kids, and many men work manual labor jobs that have fair to low pay. So, the average household income is quite low. But it's nothing that bothers me. People are certainly much nicer here, and I would feel 100% comfortable leaving my car unlocked with my keys in the ignition in front of my local grocery store, which would have been insane just about anywhere in NJ.
I honestly have no idea why crime levels are as high as they are. I have lived in very nice, safe places in NJ, and I feel just as safe if not safer here. My take on it is that there are pockets/neighborhoods where crime may be an issue, and obviously you are going to do your homework and not move to a bad neighborhood.
What is there to do here...well, what do you like to do? Just as I did back east, I enjoy going out to eat, going to the movie theater, camping, canoeing, shopping, spending time with friends. I don't feel limited at all. If you enjoy the arts, museums, fine dining, Broadway, that might be of concern, because your options will be somewhat limited. But that's not my thing; I fly back east once every 9-12 months and if I wanted to go to a museum or see a show, I could...but I haven't yet. And as I mentioned, Springfield has four universities...you could take a class too. Oddly enough, Springfield does not have a college-town vibe to it at all.
As suggested, come out for a visit. Explore different neighborhoods. People-watch. See what kind of feeling you get. Then you will know if Springfield is right for you and your family.
Best of luck.
Does VA stand for Virginia? If so, I'm interested in seeing your state this summer. I know a lot about Springfield and Branson since I grew up around here. My children, too, have attended Springfield schools, and I taught in them, also. Education is good. Supertintendent is wonderful...holds parent meetings on a regular basis. Likes input from the whole community of Springfield.
I have lots of questions about southeastern Virginia. Perhaps, I could answer your questions, and you could answer mine.
tolivewithpassion--Yes, VA stands for Virginia. I grew up an hour outside D.C. and then lived in central Virginia for a number of years as an adult. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Lots to see and do there!
...We are very uncertain about school quality (as the test scores seem quite low)...
I don't know which sites you have looked at in comparing the MO test scores with other states, but I can tell you that you have to take those comparisons with a grain of salt. Yes, at first glance, it looks like we have a poorer education system than many other places in the country. However, each state has its own testing system, and they aren't all equal. There was another concerned parent looking at a possible move from GA to MO a few months ago, and she was concerned about the "low" test scores in MO. I did some poking around and discovered that our scores seem lower because the testing standards are higher here than in many other states.
I went looking for the info I had before and found the following article from Nov. 2009 (which I missed finding the last time I looked -- go figure!). A sample quote from that article:
Quote:
For eighth-grade reading, the average NAEP scale equivalent score was 246, which is only three points higher than the NAEP cut point for basic performance (243). The NAEP score for proficient is 281 — only South Carolina has a scale score at or above the NAEP proficient score. As shown in the table below, South Carolina and Missouri have the most difficult standards for proficiency in eighth-grade reading while Tennessee and Georgia have the least difficult standards.
You can find the rest of the article here: Comparing state and national expectations on test scores – School Desk (http://www3.whig.com/whig/blogs/schooldesk/2009/11/comparing-state-and-national-expectations-on-test-scores - broken link)
I'm sure there are other articles out there that share a similar opinion, as well as some that would dispute it. Yes, our state has some schools that have serious problems, but we also have many schools that are excellent. IMO, a lot of times it boils down to how much effort the student and parent(s) put into getting a good education.
Any hunting and fishing opportunities around Springfield? Only about every 2 miles!! Lots of lakes, rivers, creeks, fields and forests - the fishing is practically endless and hunting not far behind.
I've lived in several areas and found that public schools in general, in my opinion, are just "okay". The most important thing is parental involvement and it's your job to enhance their education however you feel best.
There is an excellent Catholic school in Springfield and other private schools. The symphony, ballet and theatre groups for both adults and children are superior. The comment about cultural diversity is pretty true but I really must take issue with "no real chinese food"..........Springfield is practically the home of Cashew Chicken, Ozark style!!
You are coming up on one of the best times to visit the area; Spring. Try for late April it will knock your socks off. That's when we try to go when we can come "back home" for a visit.
There are acceptable areas within Springfield but you need much more wealth than I possess.
I moved here with the awareness of the negatives but I had to be immersed within what I can not truthfully describe since politically correct-minded moderators have, in the past, rebuked me for sharing what to me were factual truths.
So, with great care, fear a large socio-economic group dwelling waaaay down towards and in the basement of the socio-economic pyramid.
In a year I will be able to sell my shanty and avoid paying back that 10 percent generous offering from the taxpayers via the feds (thank you fellow citizens) received for buying my first home during the proper time period.
Hopefully I will be able to procure a hard-to-find-locally well-paying job for my skill-set that allows me to relocate to an area without such a horde of low-class behaving barbarians.
Luckily, I do possess substantial physical heft the deters the "vermin" from forcing themselves upon me; expecting me to interact with them...... assuming their wants and desires MUST be grasped by me. That their wants, desires, needs etc. simply must be alleviated by my involvement.
Bizarre behavior but to be expected, I suppose, by bizarre buffoons.
Not that ALL is entirely deplorable within the burgh.
As stated, there area locales within the Springfield where the sub-humans do not dwell but one will rub shoulders with "those people" while out and about.
There are worse places within the USA; parts of California were much worse, one reason I departed my home state!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But it was no panacea moving here!!!!!!!!
I am NOT declaring that moving here is a "must avoid" and subjective opinions from those defending their "home turf" will likely result in knee-jerk rhetorical anti-my-subjective-OPINION vehemence but...........
As is all-too-typical with so much of the human herd within the USA a sad lack of rational thinking results in unthoughtful subjective spewing.
Such is life.
Yes, move but take care where you hang your hat.
Good luck!!!!
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Hello from Springfield.
Yes, our state has some schools that have serious problems, but we also have many schools that are excellent. IMO, a lot of times it boils down to how much effort the student and parent(s) put into getting a good education.
.....Springfield is practically the home of Cashew Chicken, Ozark style!!
