Kirby High

Summary:

Kirby High is a public high school in Memphis, Tennessee, serving 835 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, which is ranked 134 out of 139 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Kirby High faces significant challenges in improving academic outcomes for its predominantly African American (80.96%) and Hispanic (14.49%) student population. The school consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of Tennessee high schools, with proficiency rates on state assessments ranging from 5-25%, far below the district and state averages of 19-38% and 35-52%, respectively. The school's performance is particularly low for female, male, and low socioeconomic status student subgroups, ranking in the bottom 10-20% of Tennessee high schools. In contrast, nearby schools like Ridgeway High and Memphis School of Excellence demonstrate that schools within the same district can have vastly different academic performance.

Despite spending approximately $12,172 per student, which is higher than the district average, and having a student-teacher ratio of 16.9, which is lower than some nearby schools, Kirby High's academic performance remains significantly lower. This suggests that simply increasing funding and resources may not be the sole solution to improving student outcomes. Addressing the persistent achievement gaps and improving the overall academic performance of Kirby High will require a multifaceted approach that goes beyond just increasing funding and resources.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4080 Kirby Pkwy
Memphis, TN 38115-6535

(901) 416-1960

District: Memphis-Shelby County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
375^th of 392 Tennessee High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,550

Feeder schools for Kirby High:

Elementary:	Belle Forest Community School
	Crump Elementary
	Germanshire Elementary
Middle:	Hickory Ridge Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 16.9

Number of students: 835

Racial breakdown:

African American:

81.0%

Hispanic:

14.5%

Two or more races:

3.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 89.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Kirby High ranks worse than 95.7% of high schools in Tennessee. It also ranks 31^st among 36 ranked high schools in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.82. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Kirby High freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

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

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Kirby High has the largest high school student body size in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kirby High is $13,550. 21 high schools in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kirby High:

SchoolDigger ranks Kirby High 375^th of 392 Tennessee public high schools. (See Kirby High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Memphis-Shelby County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Memphis-Shelby County Schools 135^th of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Kirby High

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Rank History for all students at Kirby High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2016	8.82	333^rd	351	5.1%
2018	5.27	341^st	341	0.0%
2019	8.52	330^th	342	3.5%
2021	5.77	341^st	347	1.7%
2022	8.08	339^th	358	5.3%
2023	14.52	337^th	384	12.2%
2024	8.82	375^th	392	4.3%

See the entire list of Tennessee High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Kirby High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	13.06	299^th	308	2.9%
2019	16.36	288^th	302	4.6%
2021	12.58	296^th	317	6.6%
2022	14.23	300^th	322	6.8%
2023	44.52	160^th	330	51.5%
2024	15.08	308^th	337	8.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at Kirby High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2019	10.66	313^th	337	7.1%
2021	6.82	322^nd	340	5.3%
2022	6.78	336^th	350	4.0%
2023	12.47	328^th	366	10.4%
2024	6.62	355^th	365	2.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Kirby High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2019	7.02	326^th	329	0.9%
2022	8.27	335^th	349	4.0%
2023	18.85	305^th	359	15.0%
2024	10.87	344^th	366	6.0%

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

Rank History for African American students at Kirby High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	9.45	199^th	199	0.0%
2019	19.65	169^th	187	9.6%
2021	18.21	184^th	208	11.5%
2022	16.04	200^th	222	9.9%
2023	24.87	184^th	239	23.0%
2024	17.16	212^th	240	11.7%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kirby High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	17.98	150^th	159	5.7%
2019	14.83	142^nd	153	7.2%
2021	18.10	161^st	180	10.6%
2022	27.30	148^th	189	21.7%
2023	34.38	134^th	202	33.7%
2024	16.11	197^th	209	5.7%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Hispanic 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 Kirby High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	9	1138	5	151	1	1	2	1307
2015	11	979	3	133	2	0	7	1135
2016	5	871	2	139	2	0	10	1029
2017	7	943	2	144	1	0	16	1113
2018	4	744	0	129	1	0	14	892
2019	4	696	0	111	1	0	9	821
2020	4	768	0	121	1	0	13	907
2021	1	665	0	108	1	0	28	803
2022	3	640	0	127	0	0	23	793
2023	10	676	0	121	0	0	28	835

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 Kirby High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	1307	73.9	17.6	81.1
2015	1135	57.0	19.9	89.7
2016	1029	57.0	18.0	89.8
2017	1113	47.3	23.5	n/a
2018	892	52.5	16.9	n/a
2019	821	57.0	14.4	n/a
2020	907	52.2	17.3	n/a
2021	803	44.0	18.2	n/a
2022	793	40.8	19.3	n/a
2023	835	49.4	16.9	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 Kirby High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	1307	73.9	17.6	81.1
2015	1135	57.0	19.9	89.7
2016	1029	57.0	18.0	89.8
2017	1113	47.3	23.5	n/a
2018	892	52.5	16.9	n/a
2019	821	57.0	14.4	n/a
2020	907	52.2	17.3	n/a
2021	803	44.0	18.2	n/a
2022	793	40.8	19.3	n/a
2023	835	49.4	16.9	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 Kirby High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,128 (8.8%)	$10,653 (83.5%)	$12,757
2020	$911 (7.9%)	$9,639 (84.0%)	$11,476
2021	$1,757 (14.4%)	$9,522 (78.2%)	$12,172
2022	$2,800 (20.6%)	$10,076 (74.1%)	$13,599
2023	$2,816 (20.8%)	$9,957 (73.5%)	$13,550

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kirby High

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.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 330^th of 342 High schools	Ranks 337^th of 384 High schools	8.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English I (Kirby High)	7.7	19.8	12.1%
9th Grade English I (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	17	18.8	1.8%
9th Grade English I (Tennessee)	33.3	36	2.7%
10th Grade English II (Kirby High)	13.9	28.6	14.7%
10th Grade English II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	25.8	37.1	11.3%
10th Grade English II (Tennessee)	44	50.7	6.7%
All Grades English I (Kirby High)	7.1	19	11.9%
All Grades English I (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	16.5	18.5	2%
All Grades English I (Tennessee)	32.7	35.4	2.7%
All Grades English II (Kirby High)	12.8	28.4	15.6%
All Grades English II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	24.5	35.6	11.1%
All Grades English II (Tennessee)	42.7	49.4	6.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	821	835	1.7%
African American	696	676	2.9%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	111	121	9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	4	10	150%
Two or More Races	9	28	211.1%

Schools Near Kirby High

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 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 12th Grade	TNReady Algebra II All Grades	TNReady Biology I 9th Grade	TNReady Biology I 10th Grade	TNReady Biology I 11th Grade	TNReady Biology I All Grades	TNReady US History 10th Grade	TNReady US History 11th Grade	TNReady US History All Grades	TNReady English I 9th Grade	TNReady English I 11th 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 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
Kirby High	Public	9-12	4080 Kirby Pkwy	Memphis	38115	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 416-1960	835	49	16.9		10 (1.2%)	676 (81.0%)	121 (14.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.4%)	8.8	375^th of 392 public high schools	4.3%		14.5	337^th of 384 public high schools	12.2%	38																9.5		7.9				9.0		8.9		25.2	23.0		8.4	8.3	7.6									$13,550	$2,817	$9,957
Bluff City High School	Public, Charter	9-12	4100 Ross RD	Memphis	38115	Shelby County	Tennessee Public Charter School Commission	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 730-8157	494	24	21.0		10 (2.0%)	403 (81.6%)	77 (15.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	12.3	355^th of 392 public high schools	9.4%		7.4	366^th of 384 public high schools	4.7%	11									8.1	8.0		9.9		10.8		12.3		11.8				10.6		10.3		33.0	31.4		6.0		5.8									$12,138	$3,383	$8,754
Power Center Academy High School	Public, Charter	9-12	5390 Mendenhall Square Mall	Memphis	38115	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 310-1331	706	38	18.8		1 (0.1%)	477 (67.6%)	210 (29.7%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	14 (2.0%)	28.9	280^th of 392 public high schools	28.6%		26.7	293^rd of 384 public high schools	23.7%	13									16.8	16.8	43.8			7.5			29.7	29.7				21.0		21.0		36.5	36.5		16.9		17.2									$11,059	$4,048	$6,696
Southwind High	Public	9-12	7900 E Shelby Dr	Memphis	38125	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 416-4141	1,507	63	23.7		11 (0.7%)	1,134 (75.2%)	301 (20.0%)	7 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	52 (3.5%)	23.5	311^th of 392 public high schools	20.7%		16.8	326^th of 384 public high schools	15.1%	15									6.3	6.3	16.7			5.1	35.0	11.5	5.3	12.6				15.8		15.6		34.8	34.1	20.0	36.9	7.4	33.4									$12,268	$2,478	$9,302
Wooddale High	Public, Magnet	9-12	5151 Scottsdale	Memphis	38118	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(901) 416-2440	651	30	21.7		2 (0.3%)	448 (68.8%)	181 (27.8%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.3%)	6	388^th of 392 public high schools	1.0%		5.1	378^th of 384 public high schools	1.6%	10																7.3	12.5	9.4				6.1	5.3	5.9	7.1	14.5	14.2													$14,371	$2,520	$11,056
Memphis School of Excellence	Public, Charter	6-12	4921 Winchester RD	Memphis	38118	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(901) 425-2932	526	42	12.5		5 (1.0%)	229 (43.5%)	282 (53.6%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.3%)	24.2	308^th of 392 public high schools	21.4%		23.9	310^th of 384 public high schools	19.3%	2	10.7	19.5	9.1	13.2	14.3	15.9	6.5	12.3	6.8	6.8		7.9		7.8	21.6			21.0	17.9		17.9	12.2		12.2		46.2	46.2		28.2		28.2	22.9	30.5	27.3	26.9	17.9	30.0	18.2	22.0	$17,413	$4,627	$12,470
Ridgeway High	Public, Magnet	9-12	2009 Ridgeway	Memphis	38119	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(901) 416-8820	818	54	15.2		8 (1.0%)	701 (85.7%)	70 (8.6%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (4.0%)	16.3	337^th of 392 public high schools	14.0%		18.8	323^rd of 384 public high schools	15.9%	14											25.9	8.6	7.1	14.5	40.8	17.6		22.8				14.3		14.1		31.6	30.7		12.5	16.7	12.7									$13,292	$2,744	$9,832
Memphis Virtual Adult High School	Public, Virtual	9-12	3237 Knight RD	Memphis	38118	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(901) 321-2500	26	2	13.9		0 (0.0%)	25 (96.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.8%)								(n/a)																																								$6,514	$2,001	$4,197
Germantown High	Public, Magnet	9-12	7653 Old Poplar Pike	Germantown	38138	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(901) 416-0971	1,806	109	16.6		66 (3.7%)	1,407 (77.9%)	178 (9.9%)	46 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	109 (6.0%)	34.2	256^th of 392 public high schools	34.7%		27.8	288^th of 384 public high schools	25.0%	32									11.1	10.8	57.7	7.5		32.0	76.9	26.6	27.8	36.3		20.8	18.2	29.8		29.5		44.9	44.4	54.3	17.4	20.2	19.9									$12,528	$2,307	$9,769
Sheffield Career Technology Center	Public	9-12	4350 Chuck Ave	Memphis	38118	Shelby County	Memphis-Shelby County Schools	No	No	No	No	(901) 416-2340	0	5	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Kirby High

What is the racial makeup of Kirby High?

Students at Kirby High are 81% African American, 14% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% White.

Is Kirby High a good school?

Kirby High ranks in the bottom 4.3% of Tennessee high schools.

How many students attend Kirby High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 835 students attended Kirby High.

What district is Kirby High in?

Memphis-Shelby County Schools

What schools feed into Kirby High?

Kirby High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Belle Forest Community School
Elementary : Crump Elementary
Elementary : Germanshire Elementary
Middle : Hickory Ridge Middle

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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.