Cornerstone Prep Knight Road Campus School

Cornerstone Prep Knight Road Campus School is a small public charter school in Memphis, TN, serving 85 students in grades PK–3 and authorized by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission. The school's most striking strength is how well its students from low-income families perform: it ranks in the 99th percentile statewide (5 stars) for low socioeconomic status students, placing 11th out of 823 schools. That is a standout result in a city where many families face significant barriers. Its overall state rank is mid-tier (54th percentile, 3 stars), but that number doesn't fully capture what the school accomplishes with the population it serves.

Academically, Cornerstone's 3rd graders are strong in math, with 50% proficient compared to 43% statewide and just 28.5% across the authorizer district. That's also far above the average of nearby schools (about 31%) and second-highest among the ten schools in this comparison. In science, 42.3% are proficient versus about 34% at nearby schools, and in ELA, 38.5% beat the nearby average of 34% but trail the state average of 40.6%. Compared with Evans Elementary School, just half a mile away, the gap is dramatic: 50% vs. 23.6% in math, 42.3% vs. 29.7% in science, and 38.5% vs. 29.2% in ELA. Newberry Elementary School, however, outperforms Cornerstone in ELA (59.6% vs. 38.5%) and science (86% vs. 42.3%) while spending less per student.

Cornerstone spends about $20,548 per student—$4,000 to $6,500 more than nearby schools—though that figure has dropped sharply from over $28,000 two years ago, suggesting startup costs may be fading. One concern is chronic absenteeism: 25.9% of students miss too many days, well above the state's 18.3%, yet learning outcomes remain strong. Because Cornerstone only serves through 3rd grade, there is no data yet on how students perform in later grades, so the long-term picture isn't fully visible. Even so, for Memphis families looking for an early-grade school that gets strong results with students who face economic challenges, Cornerstone Prep Knight Road Campus is a compelling option.