Summary:
There are 9 schools in Memphis, TN (38122) serving approximately 6,418 students, all part of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, which ranks in the bottom 3% of Tennessee districts. The mix includes 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools, with some grade-level overlap: Memphis Rise Academy (grades 6–12) and Compass Community School Berclair Campus (K–8). School sizes range from 231 students at Compass to 1,383 at Kingsbury High School.
Memphis Rise Academy is the clear high school standout, with a 89.8% graduation rate, 8.3% dropout rate, and 19.6% chronic absenteeism—far better than Kingsbury High School’s 74.3% graduation, 24.4% dropout, and 52.5% absenteeism. Memphis Rise also posts strong math (57.5%) and science (51.1%) proficiency, while Kingsbury High averages ~14.5% across core subjects. In elementary schools, Compass Community School Berclair Campus is the best-ranked (50th percentile) and the most improved, jumping from the 15th percentile in two years. Grahamwood Elementary School is the top traditional elementary (46th percentile) with low absenteeism (15.1%). Conversely, Treadwell Middle School (4th percentile) and Treadwell Elementary School (7th percentile) are the lowest-performing, joined by Kingsbury Middle School's single-digit proficiency rates.
The area reveals a two-tier academic landscape with a 30+ point gap between top and bottom schools. Standalone middle schools are a particular weak point, as both Treadwell Middle School and Kingsbury Middle School have ~9% ELA proficiency, unlike the stronger middle grades at Compass and Memphis Rise. However, Kingsbury Middle defies the absenteeism trend with the lowest chronic absence (10.9%) yet still scores low, indicating other unmeasured challenges. Spending also doesn't guarantee performance: Grahamwood Elementary School spends the most ($16,005/student) and performs well, but Treadwell Elementary School spends ~$14,000 and ranks in the 7th percentile. The data lacks free/reduced lunch and student-teacher ratios, limiting analysis, but the success of Memphis Rise and Compass demonstrates that improvement is achievable within the district.
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