Summary:
Zip code 38112 in Memphis, Tennessee, contains four public schools—Snowden Elementary/Middle School, William Herbert Brewster Elementary School, Lester Prep, and Compass Community School Binghampton Campus—serving grades PK-8, with no standalone high school in the area. All four schools belong to low-ranking Tennessee districts: three are in Memphis-Shelby County Schools, and Lester Prep operates under the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.
Snowden is the largest school (1,384 students) and the relative academic leader, ranking at the 23rd percentile and posting the best science (31.7%) and Algebra I scores in the zip code. It beats district averages in ELA, science, and Algebra I, but its middle school grades show a steep decline: 4th-grade math proficiency of 42.4% falls to just 10.5% by 7th grade. Brewster has strong elementary results, with 30.3% all-grades ELA proficiency and a 36.0% 3rd-grade ELA rate—the highest grade-level score in the zip code. Compass stands out for attendance, with only 7.5% chronic absenteeism, far below the state average of 18.3%, though its test scores are mixed. Lester Prep, a 6-8 charter, is the most concerning: despite spending the most per student ($18,343), it posts the lowest proficiency rates (11.9% math, 13.0% ELA) and a 48.1% chronic absenteeism rate.
Every school in 38112 ranks in the bottom quarter of Tennessee, so families have no high-performing option within the zip code. Notably, higher spending does not produce better outcomes—Snowden spends the least ($13,539 per student) yet ranks highest, while Lester Prep spends the most and ranks lowest. Snowden's 8th-grade Algebra I proficiency (25.6%) also lags far behind the district (58.0%) and state (88.3%). Since there are no high schools, graduates must leave the zip code, making the quality of zoned high schools outside 38112 a key factor for families.
Thank you for your feedback!