Best Public Schools in Zip Code 38117

Zip code 38117 in Memphis, Tennessee serves 6,591 students across 7 schools — 3 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high, and 1 alternative school — covering grades K-12 within the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, which ranks 137th out of 141 districts statewide with a 0-star rating. The mix includes White Station Elementary School, Willow Oaks Elementary School, and Sea Isle Elementary School at the elementary level, Colonial Middle School for middle school, White Station High School and Overton High School at the high school level, and Avon School as the alternative option. Enrollment varies widely, from 174 students at Avon to 2,046 at White Station High School.

White Station High School is the clear academic leader in the zip code, ranking 96th out of 400 Tennessee high schools (76th percentile, 4 stars) with a 91.9% graduation rate and average subject proficiency of 48.1%, exceeding the state average of 42.8%. White Station Elementary School is the top elementary performer, ranking 387th out of 1,019 schools (62nd percentile) with 52.8% ELA proficiency. At the other end of the spectrum, Overton High School ranks 371st out of 400 high schools (7th percentile, 0 stars) with a 77.9% graduation rate, a 21.3% dropout rate, and 47.7% chronic absenteeism — nearly half of its students. Colonial Middle School sits in the 27th percentile, while Sea Isle Elementary School and Willow Oaks Elementary School rank in the 35th and 21st percentiles, respectively.

Several patterns stand out. Spending does not predict success: White Station High School spends the least ($12,670 per student) yet achieves the best results, while Overton spends more ($13,516) and struggles. Chronic absenteeism closely tracks outcomes — Overton's 47.7% rate pairs with its low scores, while White Station Elementary (10.0%) and Avon School (9.4%) have the healthiest attendance. Strong advanced-course performance coexists with weaker grade-level results: White Station High's 10th grade Algebra II proficiency is 86.7%, yet its Algebra I proficiency is just 22.8%. Colonial Middle shows a similar divide, with 8th grade Algebra I proficiency at 64.3% versus 22.9% for grade-level math. Avon School remains an outlier — no test data, but the highest per-student spending at $28,661.