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Whitney Elementary School

Q: Is Whitney Elementary School a good school?

Whitney Elementary School ranks in the bottom 8.6% of Tennessee elementary schools.

Q: How many students attend Whitney Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 285 students attended Whitney Elementary School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Whitney Elementary School?

Students at Whitney Elementary School are 93% African American, 3% American Indian, 2% Hispanic, 1% White.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

931^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,019 Tennessee Elementary Schools

Better than 9% of Tennessee elementary schools

Summary

Whitney Elementary School is a PK-5 elementary school in Memphis, TN, serving 285 students in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, and it has been ranked in the bottom decile of Tennessee elementary schools for the past four years. Academic proficiency is far below district and state averages, with only 11.4% of students proficient in math and 17.1% in science, compared to state averages of 43.0% and 46.9%. ELA is a relative strength at 21.8% proficiency, and 5th grade ELA (28.6%) actually exceeds the district average. Nearby schools like Delano Elementary School (80th percentile) and Memphis STEM Academy (60th percentile) show that much stronger outcomes are possible within the same district.

The most striking issue at Whitney is chronic absenteeism. A staggering 70% of students were chronically absent in 2024-2025—nearly four times the state average of 18.3% and more than double the district rate of 30.2%. No nearby school comes close: Delano Elementary School sits at 11.9%, Westside Elementary School at 15.6%, Memphis STEM Academy at 23.9%, Perea Elementary School at 34.9%, and even Frayser-Corning Elementary School at 45.4%. Math is also a serious concern, especially in 5th grade, where only 5.7% of students are proficient compared to 64.5% at Delano Elementary School. Third-grade math (21.7%) is closer to the district average (26.3%), suggesting students may be losing ground as they progress through Whitney.

There are some positive signs. ELA proficiency has risen steadily from 14.3% in 2022-2023 to 21.8% in 2025-2026, and outcomes for African American students and students from low-income households have improved relative to similar schools statewide. However, Whitney's per-student spending of $14,874 is lower than higher-performing peers like Libertas School of Memphis ($18,438) and Delano Elementary School ($17,607). For parents considering Whitney, the data points to attendance and upper-elementary math as the most urgent areas of concern.

285

Students ?

18.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

69.5%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

1219 Whitney Avenue
Memphis, TN 38127

(901) 416-3949

District: Memphis-Shelby County Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:

93.3%

American Indian:

2.8%

Hispanic:

2.5%

See top rated Tennessee elementary schools

Compare Whitney Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 6th percentile in 2023 → 9th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Tennessee average (17% vs 43% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (9th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (70% vs 18% Tennessee)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school17%

District avg25%

Tennessee avg43%

931^st of 1,019

Tennessee public elementary schools ?

Bottom 9%▲ up 2 pts since 2023

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

137^th of 141Memphis-Shelby County Schools among Tennessee districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	10.5	931 of 1019	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	8.8	955 of 1009	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.1	966 of 1018	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.8	955 of 1020	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	24.0	390 of 498	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.4	404 of 498	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.0	419 of 498	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.2	398 of 500	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	6.2	971 of 986	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.6	954 of 990	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.7	981 of 989	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	25.0	674 of 823	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.4	759 of 843	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.1	807 of 853	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	14.4	808 of 865	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	15.3	874 of 984	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.0	894 of 991	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	25.1	755 of 987	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2026)22nd percentile+13 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)18th percentile+9 vs school

Male (2025)11th percentile+6 vs school

Female (2025)2nd percentile-4 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts22%-19 vs state

Science17%-30 vs state

Mathematics11%-32 vs state

★

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Schools Near Whitney Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				TNReady Mathematics (2026)							TNReady English Language Arts (2026)							TNReady Science (2026)							TNReady Social Studies (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	TNReady Mathematics 3rd Grade	TNReady Mathematics 4th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 5th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 6th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 7th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 8th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 3rd Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 4th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 5th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 6th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 7th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 8th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Science 3rd Grade	TNReady Science 4th Grade	TNReady Science 5th Grade	TNReady Science 6th Grade	TNReady Science 7th Grade	TNReady Science 8th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	TNReady Social Studies 6th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 7th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 8th Grade	TNReady Social Studies All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Whitney Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1219 Whitney Avenue	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(901) 416-3949	359	19	18.8	69.5%	0 (0.0%)	354 (98.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	10.5	931^st of 1019 public elementary schools	8.6%		8.8	955^th of 1009 public elementary schools	5.4%	24	21.7	< 5%	5.7				11.4	19.1	19.0	28.6				21.8	17.4	11.9	22.9				17.1					$14,874	$1,438	$12,238
Frayser-Corning Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1602 Dellwood Avenue	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(901) 416-3840	358	19	19.0	77.8%	2 (0.6%)	347 (96.9%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	5.9	988^th of 1019 public elementary schools	3.0%		3.7	1004^th of 1009 public elementary schools	0.5%	16	6.7	< 5%	< 5%				< 5%	25.4	7.3	12.1				16.5	6.7	< 5%	9.1				5.8					$14,843	$1,698	$11,979
Westside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3347 Dawn Dr	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 416-3725	325	22	14.9	76.6%	13 (4.0%)	284 (87.4%)	17 (5.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.1%)	9.4	945^th of 1019 public elementary schools	7.3%		4.8	998^th of 1009 public elementary schools	1.1%	53	27.7	8.7	10.7				15.4	14.9	26.1	16.1				18.8	21.3	23.9	10.7				18.1					$16,766	$1,558	$13,766
Delano Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1716 Delano Ave	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(901) 416-3932	315	21	15.0	57.8%	1 (0.3%)	294 (93.3%)	10 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.2%)	74	204^th of 1019 public elementary schools	80.0%		56	408^th of 1009 public elementary schools	59.6%	204	55.9	76.2	64.5				66.4	55.9	50.0	58.1				54.2	38.2	66.7	51.6				53.3					$17,607	$1,483	$14,879
Compass Community School Frayser Campus	Public, Charter	K-8	3690 Thomas Street	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 358-7431	204	18	11.6	53.0%	4 (2.0%)	60 (29.4%)	139 (68.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	33.6	712^th of 1019 public elementary schools	30.1%		21.6	829^th of 1009 public elementary schools	17.8%	117	33.3	40.9	21.4	42.9	27.3	41.2	35.0	23.8	36.4	14.3	42.9	13.6	37.5	28.4	23.8	40.9	14.3	28.6	13.6	35.3	26.5	57.1	45.5	35.3	46.7	$16,033	$1,454	$14,213
Cornerstone Prep Denver Campus School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1940 Frayser Boulevard	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Tennessee Public Charter School Commission	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(901) 416-3936	649	43	15.0	80.1%	7 (1.1%)	628 (96.8%)	7 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (0.9%)	28.7	769^th of 1019 public elementary schools	24.5%		32.7	704^th of 1009 public elementary schools	30.2%	65	24.2	53.3	35.6				38.2	15.2	34.3	17.0				22.6	12.4	52.3	34.9				33.8					$15,674	$1,442	$14,232
Memphis STEM Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	2180 Frayser Boulevard	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 708-3001	243	18	13.5	55.1%	0 (0.0%)	209 (86.0%)	31 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	57.5	405^th of 1019 public elementary schools	60.3%		54.9	419^th of 1009 public elementary schools	58.5%	14	39.0	52.4	54.5				48.3	43.9	57.1	48.5				50.0	47.5	45.2	42.4				45.2					$16,820	$1,492	$14,962
Georgian Hills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3930 Leweir Street	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(901) 416-0853	269	18	14.9	74.9%	1 (0.4%)	255 (94.8%)	12 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	5	1008^th of 1019 public elementary schools	1.1%		10.8	934^th of 1009 public elementary schools	7.4%	74	7.1	< 5%	15.6				8.1	14.3	< 5%	6.7				7.3	11.9	< 5%	< 5%				5.6					$15,328	$2,052	$12,137
Caldwell-Guthrie School	Public	PK, KG-8	951 Chelsea Avenue	Memphis	38107	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(901) 416-5300	0			73.6%								3	1016^th of 1019 public elementary schools	0.3%					(n/a)	5.1	5.0	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	10.3	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	5.9	5.9	< 5%	7.5	5.0	13.6	7.9	8.1	9.1	8.4	< 5%	13.5	5.9	7.3	$14,974	$1,564	$12,858
Perea Elementary School	Public, Charter	K-6	1250 Vollintine Avenue	Memphis	38107	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 203-6420	399	21	19.0	71.8%	0 (0.0%)	390 (97.7%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	43.1	589^th of 1019 public elementary schools	42.2%		43.9	550^th of 1009 public elementary schools	45.5%	39	33.3	33.8	9.6	19.1			24.9	45.6	75.4	42.3	55.3			55.7	21.1	70.8	42.3	23.4			41.2	14.9			14.9	$17,079	$1,498	$14,830

Frequently Asked Questions about Whitney Elementary School

Is Whitney Elementary School a good school?

Whitney Elementary School ranks in the bottom 8.6% of Tennessee elementary schools.

How many students attend Whitney Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 285 students attended Whitney Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Whitney Elementary School?

Students at Whitney Elementary School are 93% African American, 3% American Indian, 2% Hispanic, 1% White.

What district is Whitney Elementary School in?

Memphis-Shelby County Schools

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Latest Tennessee data All new data »

2025–26 graduation ratesNewOct 29, 2026

2025–26 TNReady test scoresAug 25, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesApr 2, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataFeb 27, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.