Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Summary:

Martin Luther King Preparatory High School is a public charter high school serving grades 9-12 in Memphis, Tennessee, with a student population of 537. The school is part of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, which ranks 139 out of 139 districts in Tennessee and is rated 0 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Despite receiving relatively high per-student funding of $16,087 in the 2020-2021 school year, Martin Luther King Preparatory High School consistently ranks among the lowest-performing high schools in Tennessee, ranking 372 out of 374 in the 2023-2024 school year. The school's performance on state assessments (TNReady) is significantly below the state and district averages across all subjects and grade levels, with only 5% of 10th-grade students proficient or better in Biology I in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 36.5%. The school also has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, ranking 316 out of 318 Tennessee high schools for this subgroup in 2023-2024.

Interestingly, nearby schools such as Memphis Academy of Science Engineering Middle/High, Crosstown High School, and Memphis Business Academy High School generally outperform Martin Luther King Preparatory High School on academic measures, with higher proficiency rates and better statewide rankings. These nearby schools also have lower student-to-teacher ratios, ranging from 11.5 to 14.7 students per teacher, compared to Martin Luther King Preparatory High School's 27.7 students per teacher.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

1530 Dellwood AVE
Memphis, TN 38127

(901) 567-9224

District: Achievement School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
391^st of 392 Tennessee High Schools

Feeder schools for Martin Luther King Preparatory High School:

Elementary:	Westside Elementary
Middle:	Westside Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.6

Number of students: 491

Racial breakdown:

African American:

92.5%

Hispanic:

4.5%

Two or more races:

2.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 77.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Martin Luther King Preparatory High School ranks worse than 99.7% of high schools in Tennessee. It also ranks last among 3 ranked high schools in the Achievement School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.63. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Martin Luther King Preparatory High School has the largest high school student body size in the Achievement School District. Racial makeup is: African American (92.5%), Hispanic (4.5%), two or more races (2%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School is 17.6, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Achievement School District! (See more...)

Compare Martin Luther King Preparatory High School employs 27.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Martin Luther King Preparatory High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Martin Luther King Preparatory High School 391^st of 392 Tennessee public high schools. (See Martin Luther King Preparatory High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Achievement School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Achievement School District 140^th of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

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Rank History for all students at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2016	5.96	346^th	351	1.4%
2018	10.90	323^rd	341	5.3%
2021	6.86	337^th	347	2.9%
2022	4.38	356^th	358	0.6%
2023	3.72	384^th	384	0.0%
2024	4.63	391^st	392	0.3%

See the entire list of Tennessee High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	19.65	143^rd	154	7.1%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	11.24	304^th	308	1.3%
2023	6.26	327^th	330	0.9%
2024	7.69	335^th	337	0.6%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2022	5.46	341^st	350	2.6%
2023	3.64	363^rd	366	0.8%
2024	4.76	360^th	365	1.4%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2022	6.21	344^th	349	1.4%
2023	4.14	359^th	359	0.0%
2024	4.44	366^th	366	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	20.73	182^nd	199	8.5%
2021	14.46	200^th	208	3.8%
2022	9.70	222^nd	222	0.0%
2023	9.39	238^th	239	0.4%
2024	11.97	235^th	240	2.1%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Tennessee Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2015	6	585	2	7	0	1	1	602
2016	8	613	3	8	1	0	0	633
2017	6	604	2	12	0	0	1	625
2018	7	552	1	11	0	0	1	572
2019	7	494	0	8	0	0	4	513
2020	8	552	0	9	0	0	1	570
2021	1	569	0	17	1	0	2	590
2022	5	553	0	15	0	0	0	573
2023	6	512	0	15	0	0	4	537
2024	5	454	0	22	0	0	10	491

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	602	n/a	n/a	91.5
2016	633	27.0	23.4	77.1
2017	625	25.3	24.7	n/a
2018	572	22.8	25.0	n/a
2019	513	20.5	25.0	n/a
2020	570	26.0	21.9	n/a
2021	590	20.5	28.7	n/a
2022	573	20.0	28.6	n/a
2023	537	19.3	27.7	n/a
2024	491	27.8	17.6	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	602	n/a	n/a	91.5
2016	633	27.0	23.4	77.1
2017	625	25.3	24.7	n/a
2018	572	22.8	25.0	n/a
2019	513	20.5	25.0	n/a
2020	570	26.0	21.9	n/a
2021	590	20.5	28.7	n/a
2022	573	20.0	28.6	n/a
2023	537	19.3	27.7	n/a
2024	491	27.8	17.6	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	n/a	$10,236 (103.5%)	$9,891
2020	$1,923 (13.4%)	$12,403 (86.4%)	$14,353
2021	$3,707 (23.0%)	$12,381 (77.0%)	$16,087

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	513	537	4.7%
African American	494	512	3.6%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	8	15	87.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	7	6	14.3%
Two or More Races	4	4

Schools Near Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				TNReady Mathematics (2024)				TNReady English Language Arts (2024)				TNReady Algebra I (2024)		TNReady Algebra II (2024)			TNReady Biology I (2024)			TNReady Integrated Math I (2024)		TNReady Integrated Math II (2024)			TNReady Integrated Math III (2024)			TNReady US History (2024)				TNReady English I (2024)		TNReady English II (2024)			TNReady Geometry (2024)					TNReady Science (2024)				TNReady Social Studies (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	TNReady Mathematics 6th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 7th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 8th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 6th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 7th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 8th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Algebra I 9th Grade	TNReady Algebra I All Grades	TNReady Algebra II 10th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 11th Grade	TNReady Algebra II All Grades	TNReady Biology I 9th Grade	TNReady Biology I 10th Grade	TNReady Biology I All Grades	TNReady Integrated Math I 9th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math I All Grades	TNReady Integrated Math II 9th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math II 10th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math II All Grades	TNReady Integrated Math III 10th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math III 11th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math III All Grades	TNReady US History 10th Grade	TNReady US History 11th Grade	TNReady US History 12th Grade	TNReady US History All Grades	TNReady English I 9th Grade	TNReady English I All Grades	TNReady English II 9th Grade	TNReady English II 10th Grade	TNReady English II All Grades	TNReady Geometry 9th Grade	TNReady Geometry 10th Grade	TNReady Geometry 11th Grade	TNReady Geometry 12th Grade	TNReady Geometry All Grades	TNReady Science 6th Grade	TNReady Science 7th Grade	TNReady Science 8th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	TNReady Social Studies 6th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 7th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 8th Grade	TNReady Social Studies All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Martin Luther King Preparatory High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1530 Dellwood AVE	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Achievement School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 567-9224	491	28	17.6		5 (1.0%)	454 (92.5%)	22 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.0%)	4.6	391^st of 392 public high schools	0.3%		3.7	384^th of 384 public high schools	0.0%	7															5.0											8.1		6.8				14.8	13.0	7.7
Memphis Business Academy High School	Public, Charter	9-12	3306 Overton Crossing	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 357-8680	511	35	14.6		4 (0.8%)	398 (77.9%)	107 (20.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	29.2	275^th of 392 public high schools	29.8%		21.8	318^th of 384 public high schools	17.2%	43									17.8	17.6		20.2	20.8	19.4		18.4										24.5		24.3	22.2	22.2		37.6	37.6		32.5			32.5									$17,311	$2,001	$14,994
Trezevant High	Public	9-12	3350 N Trezevant St	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 416-3760	549	36	15.1		4 (0.7%)	515 (93.8%)	11 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.5%)	6.9	384^th of 392 public high schools	2.0%		16.2	328^th of 384 public high schools	14.6%	56									5.2		5.0				10.5	8.0											27.3	21.4	5.3	5.3		11.9	11.9				8.3										$14,498	$3,515	$10,059
Trezevant Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	3224 Range Line Rd	Memphis	38127	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	No	(901) 416-3800	0	9	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Manassas High	Public	9-12	1111 N Manassas St	Memphis	38107	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 416-3244	362	16	22.9		4 (1.1%)	338 (93.4%)	7 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.3%)	13.4	353^rd of 392 public high schools	9.9%		13.2	345^th of 384 public high schools	10.2%	8															13.0	13.0													6.5	6.5		26.4	25.3			17.0		12.7									$15,659	$3,167	$11,645
KIPP Memphis Collegiate High School	Public, Charter	9-12	2110 Howell AVE	Memphis	38108	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 791-9792	361	32	11.3		3 (0.8%)	333 (92.2%)	18 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)	15.1	343^rd of 392 public high schools	12.5%		5.9	375^th of 384 public high schools	2.3%	32																20.0													19.1	19.1		33.0	32.6	28.0	6.8			11.2									$17,743	$4,397	$13,030
Crosstown High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1365 Tower AVE	Memphis	38104	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 401-5505	499	36	13.7		153 (30.7%)	266 (53.3%)	57 (11.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.0%)	57.4	133^rd of 392 public high schools	66.1%		55.8	135^th of 384 public high schools	64.8%	2															47.8	47.4	18.3	17.9	66.7	20.4	29.2	60.0	28.6	33.1					39.6	39.6		56.3	56.3														$17,790	$3,336	$14,138
Douglass High	Public, Magnet	9-12	3200 Mount Olive Rd	Memphis	38108	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(901) 416-0990	671	33	20.0		9 (1.3%)	507 (75.6%)	130 (19.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.4%)	7.6	379^th of 392 public high schools	3.3%		8.2	363^rd of 384 public high schools	5.5%	16															10.9	9.2																20.3	15.5		7.0			5.3									$12,993	$2,862	$9,493
Memphis Academy Of Science Engineering Middle/High	Public, Charter	6-12	1254 Jefferson AVE	Memphis	38104	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 333-1580	696	48	14.4		1 (0.1%)	633 (90.9%)	47 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.2%)	18.7	330^th of 392 public high schools	15.8%		16.7	327^th of 384 public high schools	14.8%	3	7.7	9.0	20.2	12.4	7.6	16.7	10.1	11.2	8.1	7.8	16.7		5.0	40.0	20.6	25.6										8.1		6.1	15.7	15.7		45.5	45.1	18.8	7.2			8.9	17.4	26.9	19.1	20.8	23.3	35.9	24.7	27.6	$19,363	$4,389	$14,658
Raleigh-Egypt High	Public	6-12	3970 Voltaire Ave	Memphis	38128	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 416-4108	733	32	23.0		10 (1.4%)	597 (81.4%)	104 (14.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.0%)	22.3	316^th of 392 public high schools	19.4%		15.7	332^nd of 384 public high schools	13.5%	16									15.8	15.7	5.0	8.7	6.8	21.9	28.2	27.0									11.1			10.5	9.4	9.7	6.9	27.5	23.7	13.6	32.3			29.9									$13,013	$2,693	$9,505

Frequently Asked Questions about Martin Luther King Preparatory High School

How many students attend Martin Luther King Preparatory High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 491 students attended Martin Luther King Preparatory High School.

What is the racial makeup of Martin Luther King Preparatory High School?

Students at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School are 92% African American, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% White.

What schools feed into Martin Luther King Preparatory High School?

Martin Luther King Preparatory High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Westside Elementary
Middle : Westside Middle School

What district is Martin Luther King Preparatory High School in?

Achievement School District

Is Martin Luther King Preparatory High School a good school?

Martin Luther King Preparatory High School ranks in the bottom 0.3% of Tennessee high schools.

Rate Martin Luther King Preparatory High School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.