Sherwood Elementary School

Sherwood Elementary School is a PK–5 public elementary school in Memphis, TN, serving 531 students as part of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. The school has historically ranked in the bottom 10 percent of Tennessee elementary schools, though it showed meaningful improvement in the most recent year, rising from the 2nd to the 8th percentile statewide.

Academically, Sherwood sits below both district and state averages in nearly every tested subject. In 2025–2026, only 12.1% of students were proficient in math, compared with 22.1% for the district and 43% for the state. English Language Arts is Sherwood's relative strength at 23.2% proficiency, close to the district average of 24.6%, and actually higher than several nearby schools including Sharpe, South Park, and Compass Community Orange Mound. However, math proficiency declines sharply across grade levels (14.9% in 3rd grade to 8.5% in 5th grade), suggesting gaps compound over time. Nearby schools show that higher performance is possible in the same community: Cherokee Elementary and Leadership Preparatory Charter School, both within 1.5 miles, achieve math proficiency rates around 40%.

Chronic absenteeism is the school's most urgent concern. In 2024–2025, 39.7% of Sherwood students were chronically absent — more than double the state rate of 18.3% and the second-highest among nearby schools. This has been a persistent problem for five consecutive years, with the gap to the state widening significantly. Sherwood spends over $15,000 per student, more than some nearby schools that outperform it, suggesting funding alone isn't the answer. On a positive note, recent gains in ELA and significant improvements among African American, Hispanic, and low-income students suggest that targeted efforts may be starting to show results, even as overall achievement remains low.