Best High Schools in Zip Code 38116

ZIP code 38116 in Memphis, Tennessee is home to 6 high schools serving grades 9-12 — with Freedom Preparatory Academy Flagship and Freedom Prep Middle - Brownlee School also serving grades 6-12 — across Memphis-Shelby County Schools and the Achievement School District, enrolling a combined 3,204 students. The schools range in size from just 13 students at City University School of Independence to 1,509 at Whitehaven High School.

Whitehaven High School is the clear standout, ranking #51 out of 400 Tennessee high schools and earning 4 stars. Its graduation rate is 87.7%, its dropout rate is 10.6%, and it beats both district and state averages in nearly every subject — Geometry proficiency is 82.3% and US History is 79.4%, both more than 30 points above the state average. At the other end, Hillcrest High School ranks #383 out of 400 with a 68.3% graduation rate, a 28.6% dropout rate, and 70.2% chronic absenteeism — the worst in the ZIP code. City University School of Liberal Arts also struggles, ranking #385 out of 400. Freedom Preparatory Academy Flagship sits in the middle, with strong attendance but weak math scores.

Two key takeaways stand out. First, higher spending does not mean better outcomes: Hillcrest High School spends the most per student ($18,230) yet has some of the lowest scores in the state, while City University School of Independence spends the least ($8,792) and has the best attendance. The two City University schools share an address but perform very differently. Second, chronic absenteeism is a major dividing line, ranging from 7.1% to 70.2%; even the Freedom Prep campuses, with attendance below 10.1%, struggle academically. Only Whitehaven High School approaches the state graduation benchmark of 90.5% — every other school has a dropout rate at least 2.5 times the state average of 6.7%.