Memphis Community Schools

Memphis Community Schools is a small, rural district in Michigan serving 709 students across two schools: Memphis Elementary School (grades PK-6) and Memphis JuniorSenior High School (grades 7-12). The district overall earns a 3-star rating, ranking in the 67th percentile of Michigan districts, but the two schools tell very different stories.

Memphis Elementary School is the clear academic standout, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 72nd percentile of Michigan elementary schools for 2025-2026. It has been consistently strong for three years. The school shines brightest in 5th grade, where 62.2% of students are proficient in ELA and 63.6% in math—both more than 20 points above state averages. However, there is a sharp drop-off in 6th grade, where math proficiency falls to 35.8%, suggesting the transition to middle school may be a challenge. The elementary school also benefits from a favorable 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio and spends about $15,539 per student.

In contrast, Memphis JuniorSenior High School is a mid-tier performer with a 2-star rating, though it has improved significantly from a 1-star rating two years ago. The high school excels in ELA, with 8th-grade and 10th-grade proficiency rates above state averages, but struggles in advanced math and science—only 16.7% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math. Despite these academic challenges, the school boasts a remarkable 98.2% graduation rate and a very low 1.7% dropout rate, far better than state averages. Chronic absenteeism is also below the state average at both schools. The district shows a clear pattern: strong elementary performance, a dip in middle school, and a high school that successfully graduates students even if test scores lag. Parents should note the district's strength in ELA across all grades and consider the 5th-to-6th-grade transition as a key checkpoint.