Ridgeway High School

Ridgeway High School is a public school in Memphis, Tennessee, serving 695 students in grades 9-12 as part of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. The school holds a 1-star rating and ranks in the 12th percentile of Tennessee high schools, reflecting a decade of low academic proficiency, though it has improved somewhat from prior years. Despite the academic challenges, Ridgeway posts a graduation rate of 89.6%, which is a notable bright spot and nearly matches the state average of 90.5%.

Academic proficiency is below state and district averages in nearly every subject. On the 2025-2026 TNReady exams, proficiency rates range from just 13.0% in US History and 13.9% in Geometry to a stronger 34.6% in English II. Chronic absenteeism is a significant concern, with 35.4% of students missing enough school to be considered chronically absent—nearly double the state rate of 18.3%. However, there are some positive findings. Ridgeway's Special Education students ranked in the 62nd percentile statewide, a standout achievement, and 9th-grade Biology proficiency reached 53.7%, well above the district average. Graduation rates have also improved steadily over the past five years, and the dropout rate is below the district average.

Compared with nearby schools, Ridgeway performs in the lower-middle range. White Station High School and Germantown High School both outperform Ridgeway in most subjects, while Power Center Academy High School excels with a 95.1% graduation rate and just 13.3% chronic absenteeism. Ridgeway does outperform Wooddale High School, which has a 73.7% graduation rate and 73.1% chronic absenteeism. Notably, Ridgeway spends $14,884 per student, more than several higher-performing nearby schools, suggesting that resource allocation and student attendance may be more critical levers than spending alone.