Best High Schools in Zip Code 38103

ZIP code 38103 in Memphis, Tennessee, contains just one high school—Medical District High School—which serves grades 9 through 12 with only 146 students, making it a very small school in an urban area. Because there is no other high school in this ZIP code to compare it against, the most useful context comes from looking at how this school performs relative to its district, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, and the state of Tennessee. Medical District High School consistently outperforms its district by wide margins in nearly every subject and year, even though the district itself ranks near the bottom statewide. The school also posted a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.3% in 2023–2024, far better than the district’s 30.2% and the state’s 18.3%, which is a strong positive signal for student engagement.

That said, the school’s academic results are highly uneven across subjects and years. In 2025–2026, English II proficiency reached 86.2%, dramatically above the state average of 58.1%, while English I proficiency fell to just 13%, far below the state’s 37.3%. Similar swings appear in Algebra and Biology, and these extremes are likely tied to the very small student body—each grade cohort probably has only 30–40 students, so a handful of students can shift percentages by large amounts. Medical District High School still beats the state average in Algebra II, Geometry, and English II, but trails in Algebra I, English I, and sometimes Biology. Its state ranking has declined sharply from 38th (5 stars) in 2023–2024 to 160th (3 stars) in 2025–2026, despite several strong subject scores.

For parents, the key takeaway is that Medical District High School offers some excellent outcomes—especially in English II and relative to its low-performing district—but the small size creates significant year-to-year volatility. The school spends a generous $16,088 per student, and attendance is exceptional, both of which are encouraging. However, the dramatic drop in English I proficiency and the falling state rank suggest that families should look carefully at current course offerings and ask about how the school supports students across all subjects, not just the standout ones.