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Fairley High School

Public Grades 9-12

389^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 400 Tennessee High Schools

Better than 3% of Tennessee high schools

Summary

Fairley High School is a public high school in Memphis, Tennessee, serving 463 students in grades 9–12 as part of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. The school ranks in the bottom 3% of Tennessee high schools, a reflection of the significant academic and attendance challenges it faces.

The most striking positive finding is Fairley's remarkably low dropout rate of just 1.0% for 2024–2025 — dramatically better than the district average of 14.4% and far below every nearby school, including Westwood High School (7.9%), Whitehaven High School (10.6%), Oakhaven High School (18.6%), and Hillcrest High School (28.6%). However, nearly half of Fairley students (48.4%) are chronically absent, meaning they miss a significant number of school days. This rate is well above the district average of 30.2% and much higher than schools like Mitchell High School (19.5%) and Whitehaven (19.8%). The combination suggests students stay enrolled but are frequently not in class — likely a major reason academic outcomes are low.

Academic proficiency rates at Fairley are far below state averages in every subject. Only 5.6% of students scored proficient in Algebra I, 12.0% in Biology I, and 19.9% in English II, compared to state averages of 32.3%, 49.8%, and 58.1%, respectively. The contrast with Whitehaven High School, only 1.41 miles away, is striking: Whitehaven ranks 51st in the state with proficiency rates of 40% in Algebra I and 65.6% in English II, while Fairley ranks 389th. Fairley spends about $14,303 per student — slightly more than Whitehaven — yet outcomes differ enormously, suggesting attendance and school effectiveness, not funding alone, drive these gaps. For parents, the key takeaway is that Fairley retains its students well, but chronic absenteeism and very low test scores are serious concerns to weigh carefully.

463

Students ?

n/a

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,303

Per pupil spending ?

4950 Fairley Road
Memphis, TN 38109

(901) 730-8160

District: Memphis-Shelby County Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:

93.3%

Two or more races:

3.9%

White:

1.5%

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At a glance

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Tennessee average (12% vs 47% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (3rd percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (48% vs 18% Tennessee)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school12%

District avg29%

Tennessee avg47%

389^th of 400

Tennessee public high schools ?

Bottom 3%

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

40^th of 42High Schools in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools

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

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)5th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)4th percentile~ school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

English II20%-38 vs state

Geometry13%-29 vs state

Biology I12%-38 vs state

Algebra II8%-56 vs state

Algebra I6%-27 vs state

★

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Schools Near Fairley High 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 Algebra I (2026)		TNReady Algebra II (2026)					TNReady Biology I (2026)					TNReady US History (2026)				TNReady English I (2026)		TNReady English II (2026)		TNReady Geometry (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	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2016)	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 6th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 7th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 8th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	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 Algebra I 9th Grade	TNReady Algebra I All Grades	TNReady Algebra II 9th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 10th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 11th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 12th Grade	TNReady Algebra II All Grades	TNReady Biology I 9th Grade	TNReady Biology I 10th Grade	TNReady Biology I 11th Grade	TNReady Biology I 12th Grade	TNReady Biology I All Grades	TNReady US History 10th Grade	TNReady US History 11th Grade	TNReady US History 12th Grade	TNReady US History All Grades	TNReady English I 9th Grade	TNReady English I All Grades	TNReady English II 10th Grade	TNReady English II All Grades	TNReady Geometry 10th Grade	TNReady Geometry 11th Grade	TNReady Geometry 12th Grade	TNReady Geometry All Grades	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
Fairley High School	Public	9-12	4950 Fairley Road	Memphis	38109	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(901) 730-8160	0											7.6	389^th of 400 public high schools	2.8%					(n/a)									5.7	5.6		7.7					13.7	10.0		12.0							22.1	19.9	15.0			13.2									$14,303	$1,862	$11,538
Freedom Preparatory Academy Flagship	Public, Charter	6-12	5132 Jonetta Street	Memphis	38116	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 538-9500	723	47	15.3	70.2%	1 (0.1%)	607 (84.0%)	104 (14.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.5%)	16.7	344^th of 400 public high schools	14.0%		23.6	308^th of 389 public high schools	20.8%	36	15.5	18.5	21.9	18.7	19.7	27.7	11.1	19.2	10.6	10.6		42.1	6.0		12.7	29.8				29.3		16.7		17.0	16.4	16.4	53.3	52.6	18.3			17.3	21.1	23.1	17.8	20.6	15.5	38.5	38.4	30.6	$14,252	$1,495	$12,391
Whitehaven High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	4851 Elvis Presley Blvd	Memphis	38116	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(901) 416-3000	1,549	82	18.8	81.5%	4 (0.3%)	1,455 (93.9%)	23 (1.5%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (4.1%)	79.1	51^st of 400 public high schools	87.3%		60	126^th of 389 public high schools	67.6%	75									40.3	40.0	91.7	61.4	62.7		62.5		50.0	60.1	45.8	57.9		81.6	80.0	79.4	43.6	43.5	65.9	65.6	87.3	82.2	69.2	82.3									$13,670	$1,339	$11,585
Freedom Prep Middle - Brownlee School	Public, Charter	6-12	817 Brownlee Road	Memphis	38116	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 538-9500	317	16	20.4		1 (0.3%)	244 (77.0%)	65 (20.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)								(n/a)	21.8	31.1	21.1	24.7	27.7	14.2	10.1	17.1																									43.6	46.2	34.9	41.5	43.6	48.1	38.5	43.4	$11,829	$1,446	$10,017
City University School Of Liberal Arts	Public, Charter	9-12	1475 E. Shelby Drive	Memphis	38116	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 775-2219	201	15	13.1	84.4%	1 (0.5%)	183 (91.0%)	11 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	8.4	385^th of 400 public high schools	3.8%		19.1	329^th of 389 public high schools	15.4%	56																	20.9			20.5	9.8			14.0	6.7	6.7	22.4	22.0	13.0			13.7									$17,924	$1,541	$16,016
City University School of Independence	Public, Charter	9-12	1475 East Shelby Drive	Memphis	38116	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 775-2219	14	1	10.1	86.4%	0 (0.0%)	14 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																																									$8,792	$1,358	$7,068
Hillcrest High School	Public, Charter	9-12	4184 Graceland Drive	Memphis	38116	Shelby County	Achievement School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 730-4098	441	20	22.0		1 (0.2%)	413 (93.7%)	23 (5.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	8.7	383^rd of 400 public high schools	4.3%		7	384^th of 389 public high schools	1.3%	1									8.8	9.8			16.4		20.3		13.3			14.6					6.5	6.3	11.8	11.2	10.8			12.5									$18,230	$6,876	$11,354
Westwood High School	Public	9-12	4480 Westmont Rd	Memphis	38109	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 416-8000	329	21	15.3	87.7%	0 (0.0%)	317 (96.4%)	6 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.8%)	11.8	364^th of 400 public high schools	9.0%		12.6	356^th of 389 public high schools	8.5%	8									13.0	13.5								20.0		6.8		5.7	10.5	6.7	11.0	10.8	22.7	21.8	17.6	15.4		17.4									$15,971	$1,889	$13,288
Southwest Career Technology Center	Public	9-12	3746 Horn Lake Road	Memphis	38109	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	No	(901) 416-8186	0	6	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Mitchell High School	Public	9-12	658 WMitchell Rd	Memphis	38109	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 416-8174	358	24	15.0	94.2%	1 (0.3%)	346 (96.6%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.2%)	25.2	310^th of 400 public high schools	22.5%		19.9	324^th of 389 public high schools	16.7%	14									6.0	6.0			20.0	23.1	23.1		33.3	36.7	20.0	30.6					13.1	13.1	27.7	26.4	26.6			25.7									$14,970	$1,821	$12,466

Frequently Asked Questions about Fairley High School

What district is Fairley High School in?

Memphis-Shelby County Schools

How many students attend Fairley High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 463 students attended Fairley High School.

What is the racial makeup of Fairley High School?

Students at Fairley High School are 93% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% White, 1% Hispanic.

Is Fairley High School a good school?

Fairley High School ranks in the bottom 2.8% of Tennessee high schools.

Rate Fairley High School!

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Latest Tennessee data All new data »

2025–26 TNReady test scoresNewAug 25, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesApr 2, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataFeb 27, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataDec 18, 2025

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.