American Way Middle

Summary:

American Way Middle is a public middle school in Memphis, Tennessee, serving 690 students in grades 6-8. The school has a diverse student population, with a majority of African American and Hispanic students.

Despite its diverse student body, American Way Middle consistently ranks among the lowest-performing middle schools in Tennessee, with significantly below-average scores on state assessments across all subject areas and grade levels. The school's performance is particularly low for its African American, Hispanic, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Low Socioeconomic Status student subgroups, which rank in the bottom 10-20% of their respective subgroups statewide. American Way Middle spends slightly more per student than the district average, but its student-teacher ratio is similar to the district.

When compared to nearby schools, the underperformance of American Way Middle becomes even more apparent. For example, Maxine Smith STEAM Academy, just 4 miles away, consistently ranks among the top 5% of middle schools in the state and outperforms American Way Middle by a wide margin on state assessments. Despite the school's persistent low performance, it has not shown significant improvement over the past several years, raising concerns about the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district's ability to effectively support and improve its struggling schools.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 3805 American Way
       Memphis, TN  38118-1870


(901) 416-1250

District: Memphis-Shelby County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
537th of 587 Tennessee Middle Schools


Students who attend American Way Middle usually attend:

High:    Sheffield High

Feeder schools for American Way Middle:

Elementary:    Getwell Elementary
    Sheffield Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  16.5 Help
Number of students:  690

Racial breakdown:

African American:
61.6%
Hispanic:
34.9%
Two or more races:
3.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  87% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details American Way Middle is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2018 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.35. (See more...)
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Compare Details American Way Middle ranks worse than 91.5% of middle schools in Tennessee. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.71. (See more...)
Help
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.
Finance
Schooldigger 2018 Rankings:

American Way Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks American Way Middle 537th of 587 Tennessee public middle schools. (See American Way Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Memphis-Shelby County Schools:

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


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Rank History for American Way Middle

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Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.35 991st 997 0.6%
See the entire list of Tennessee Middle School Rankings!

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

Rank History for American Way Middle

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Rank History for all middle school students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.06 556th 563 1.2%
2019 5.12 571st 574 0.5%
2021 5.90 573rd 576 0.5%
2022 7.38 552nd 569 3.0%
2023 7.00 574th 594 3.4%
2024 10.71 537th 587 8.5%
See the entire list of Tennessee Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 37.92 18th 32 43.8%
2024 28.00 65th 73 11.0%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 17.69 258th 260 0.8%
2024 18.53 284th 299 5.0%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.09 471st 481 2.1%
2019 8.79 487th 490 0.6%
2021 8.37 483rd 483 0.0%
2022 11.90 474th 495 4.2%
2023 11.55 495th 514 3.7%
2024 18.95 447th 510 12.4%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Homeless students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 14.45 25th 26 3.8%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 4.55 529th 529 0.0%
2021 6.50 537th 538 0.2%
2022 7.74 533rd 552 3.4%
2023 6.60 552nd 560 1.4%
2024 10.37 518th 554 6.5%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 6.61 520th 523 0.6%
2021 5.21 529th 529 0.0%
2022 8.09 525th 540 2.8%
2023 7.96 543rd 557 2.5%
2024 12.53 500th 560 10.7%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.93 270th 284 4.9%
2019 13.43 291st 293 0.7%
2022 16.06 277th 299 7.4%
2023 14.66 303rd 316 4.1%
2024 23.28 249th 318 21.7%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at American Way Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.06 213th 219 2.7%
2019 9.39 228th 228 0.0%
2021 9.34 260th 261 0.4%
2022 13.97 264th 275 4.0%
2023 13.43 273rd 285 4.2%
2024 16.79 261st 285 8.4%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle 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.

American Way Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

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Enrollment information for American Way Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2014 2 586 0 106 0 0 2 0 696
2015 2 571 1 127 0 0 4 0 705
2016 3 546 0 131 0 1 2 0 683
2017 2 544 1 156 0 0 12 0 715
2018 10 503 5 172 0 0 13 0 703
2019 10 509 2 200 0 0 18 0 739
2020 9 502 2 226 0 0 9 0 748
2021 4 457 1 233 0 0 18 0 713
2022 2 441 1 248 0 0 15 0 707
2023 3 425 0 241 0 0 21 0 690

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 American Way Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2014 696 45.3 15.3 97.8
2015 705 35.0 20.1 84.4
2016 683 39.0 17.5 87
2017 715 36.1 19.8 n/a
2018 703 41.6 16.8 n/a
2019 739 38.4 19.2 n/a
2020 748 34.6 21.6 n/a
2021 713 43.0 16.5 n/a
2022 707 44.0 16.0 n/a
2023 690 41.7 16.5 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 American Way Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2014 696 45.3 15.3 97.8
2015 705 35.0 20.1 84.4
2016 683 39.0 17.5 87
2017 715 36.1 19.8 n/a
2018 703 41.6 16.8 n/a
2019 739 38.4 19.2 n/a
2020 748 34.6 21.6 n/a
2021 713 43.0 16.5 n/a
2022 707 44.0 16.0 n/a
2023 690 41.7 16.5 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 American Way Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,106 (9.7%) $9,630 (84.2%) $11,432
2020 $1,063 (10.1%) $8,810 (83.5%) $10,546
2021 $1,864 (16.5%) $8,959 (79.5%) $11,269
2022 $2,872 (21.1%) $10,092 (74.0%) $13,642
2023 $3,182 (22.8%) $10,093 (72.3%) $13,964

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on American Way Middle

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 571st of 574 Middle schoolsRanks 574th of 594 Middle schools
 2.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (American Way Middle)7.36.7
 0.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)19.220.3
 1.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)33.435.9
 2.5%
6th Grade Social Studies (American Way Middle)5.112.5
 7.4%
   6th Grade Social Studies (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)21.222.7
 1.5%
   6th Grade Social Studies (Tennessee)3843.4
 5.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (American Way Middle)6.75
 1.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)2018.2
 1.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)35.436.1
 0.7%
7th Grade Social Studies (American Way Middle)6.87.7
 0.9%
   7th Grade Social Studies (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)25.422.1
 3.3%
   7th Grade Social Studies (Tennessee)43.246.9
 3.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (American Way Middle)7.310.6
 3.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)20.912.5
 8.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)35.134
 1.1%
8th Grade Social Studies (American Way Middle)9.613.8
 4.2%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)22.821.7
 1.1%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Tennessee)41.541.6
 0.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (American Way Middle)5.76.4
 0.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)20.620.7
 0.1%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Tennessee)33.736.6
 2.9%
All Grades Social Studies (American Way Middle)711.1
 4.1%
   All Grades Social Studies (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)23.122.2
 0.9%
   All Grades Social Studies (Tennessee)40.943.9
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students739690
 6.6%
African American509425
 16.5%
American Indian00
Asian20
 100%
Hispanic200241
 20.5%
Pacific Islander00
White103
 70%
Two or More Races1821
 16.7%


Schools Near American Way Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about American Way Middle

Students who attend American Way Middle usually go on to attend Sheffield High

American Way Middle ranks in the bottom 8.5% of Tennessee middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 690 students attended American Way Middle.

Students at American Way Middle are 62% African American, 35% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.


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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.





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