Memphis Scholars Caldwell-Guthrie

Memphis Scholars Caldwell-Guthrie is a public charter elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Memphis, Tennessee, a city with a predominantly African American population. However, this school has consistently struggled to provide quality education, ranking among the lowest-performing elementary schools in the state.

The school's academic performance is a major concern, with proficiency rates in core subjects like Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Science falling significantly below state and district averages, often below 10% proficiency. This trend is particularly alarming for specific student subgroups, such as female, male, African American, and low-income students, who perform even worse than the overall student population. Despite the school's high spending per student, which has increased from $9,651 in 2018-2019 to $16,738 in 2020-2021, the student-teacher ratio has fluctuated between 21.5 and 44 students per teacher, higher than nearby schools like Snowden Elementary/Middle (16.6) and Perea Elementary School (16).

The persistent low performance and equity concerns at Memphis Scholars Caldwell-Guthrie suggest that the school may not be effectively addressing the unique needs of its student population, which is predominantly African American and from low-income backgrounds. Comparing the school's metrics to nearby institutions, such as Snowden Elementary/Middle and Perea Elementary School, highlights the significant gap in academic achievement and the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to the school's challenges. Addressing these issues will be crucial for improving educational opportunities and outcomes for the students of Memphis Scholars Caldwell-Guthrie.