Southwind High

Summary:

Southwind High is a public high school in Memphis, Tennessee, serving 1,507 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.

Southwind High consistently ranks in the bottom third of Tennessee high schools, with low performance on state assessments that is significantly below the state and district averages. For example, in 2023-2024, only 12.6% of Southwind High students were proficient or better in Biology I, compared to 45.3% statewide and 26.7% in the Memphis-Shelby County district. The school's academic performance is particularly low for African American and low-income student subgroups. Southwind High also has a relatively high student-teacher ratio and lower per-student spending compared to nearby schools.

In contrast, higher-performing schools in the area, such as Houston High School and Collierville High School, are ranked in the top 5% and top 10% of Tennessee high schools, respectively. The nearby Memphis School of Excellence charter school also outperforms Southwind High on several academic metrics, despite serving a similar demographic of students. Addressing Southwind High's challenges will require a comprehensive approach to improve academic achievement, including targeted interventions and collaboration with higher-performing schools in the area.

Detail:

Public 9-12

7900 E Shelby Dr
Memphis, TN 38125

(901) 416-4141

District: Memphis-Shelby County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
311^th of 392 Tennessee High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,268

Feeder schools for Southwind High:

Elementary:	Lowrance Elementary/Middle
Middle:	Highland Oaks Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 23.7

Number of students: 1,507

Racial breakdown:

African American:

75.2%

Hispanic:

20.0%

Two or more races:

3.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 75.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Southwind High ranks worse than 79.3% of high schools in Tennessee. It also ranks 14^th among 36 ranked high schools in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.45. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Southwind High 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 Southwind 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 Southwind High is $12,268. 35 high schools in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwind High:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwind High 311^th of 392 Tennessee public high schools. (See Southwind 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 Southwind High

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Rank History for all students at Southwind High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2016	22.31	287^th	351	18.2%
2017	24.92	225^th	273	17.6%
2018	21.41	286^th	341	16.1%
2019	16.34	303^rd	342	11.4%
2021	18.26	296^th	347	14.7%
2022	16.92	306^th	358	14.5%
2023	16.77	326^th	384	15.1%
2024	23.45	311^th	392	20.7%

See the entire list of Tennessee High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwind High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	26.64	249^th	308	19.2%
2019	20.06	270^th	302	10.6%
2021	23.40	258^th	317	18.6%
2022	23.74	270^th	322	16.1%
2023	23.53	270^th	330	18.2%
2024	41.81	191^st	337	43.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Southwind High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2019	17.95	294^th	337	12.8%
2021	21.71	279^th	340	17.9%
2022	14.96	304^th	350	13.1%
2023	15.59	324^th	366	11.5%
2024	23.69	292^nd	365	20.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Southwind High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2019	15.26	296^th	329	10.0%
2021	15.16	298^th	332	10.2%
2022	16.53	303^rd	349	13.2%
2023	17.13	312^th	359	13.1%
2024	22.75	294^th	366	19.7%

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

Rank History for African American students at Southwind High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	32.70	129^th	199	35.2%
2019	27.44	145^th	187	22.5%
2021	31.68	136^th	208	34.6%
2022	26.80	169^th	222	23.9%
2023	25.13	182^nd	239	23.8%
2024	36.26	134^th	240	44.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southwind High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	48.26	70^th	159	56.0%
2019	42.05	81^st	153	47.1%
2021	31.78	120^th	180	33.3%
2022	30.22	142^nd	189	24.9%
2023	34.54	131^st	202	35.1%
2024	32.21	155^th	209	25.8%

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 Southwind High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	17	1628	13	136	1	0	6	1801
2015	15	1441	13	154	1	0	17	1641
2016	12	1303	12	174	1	0	18	1520
2017	10	1344	12	203	1	0	28	1598
2018	8	1265	11	224	1	1	22	1532
2019	15	1354	12	239	1	0	19	1640
2020	17	1294	9	255	1	1	24	1601
2021	12	1151	8	277	0	1	48	1497
2022	10	1089	9	270	0	3	49	1430
2023	11	1134	7	301	0	2	52	1507

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 Southwind High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	1801	89.5	20.1	61.7
2015	1641	72.0	22.7	50.5
2016	1520	72.0	21.1	75.1
2017	1598	74.8	21.3	n/a
2018	1532	78.6	19.4	n/a
2019	1640	82.5	19.8	n/a
2020	1601	87.8	18.2	n/a
2021	1497	76.2	19.6	n/a
2022	1430	73.8	19.3	n/a
2023	1507	63.3	23.7	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 Southwind High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	1801	89.5	20.1	61.7
2015	1641	72.0	22.7	50.5
2016	1520	72.0	21.1	75.1
2017	1598	74.8	21.3	n/a
2018	1532	78.6	19.4	n/a
2019	1640	82.5	19.8	n/a
2020	1601	87.8	18.2	n/a
2021	1497	76.2	19.6	n/a
2022	1430	73.8	19.3	n/a
2023	1507	63.3	23.7	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 Southwind High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$683 (6.7%)	$8,883 (87.7%)	$10,126
2020	$738 (7.4%)	$8,792 (88.2%)	$9,968
2021	$988 (10.2%)	$8,345 (85.9%)	$9,715
2022	$2,533 (20.2%)	$9,504 (75.9%)	$12,515
2023	$2,478 (20.2%)	$9,302 (75.8%)	$12,268

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southwind 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 303^rd of 342 High schools	Ranks 326^th of 384 High schools	3.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English I (Southwind High)	11.2	13.7	2.5%
9th Grade English I (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	17	18.8	1.8%
9th Grade English I (Tennessee)	33.3	36	2.7%
9th Grade Geometry (Southwind High)	66.7	21.1	45.6%
9th Grade Geometry (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	49.6	27.2	22.4%
9th Grade Geometry (Tennessee)	79	65.9	13.1%
10th Grade Algebra II (Southwind High)	62.8	5.1	57.7%
10th Grade Algebra II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	20.3	12.7	7.6%
10th Grade Algebra II (Tennessee)	46.7	47.7	1%
10th Grade English II (Southwind High)	19.6	35	15.4%
10th Grade English II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	25.8	37.1	11.3%
10th Grade English II (Tennessee)	44	50.7	6.7%
10th Grade Geometry (Southwind High)	9.3	6.6	2.7%
10th Grade Geometry (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	14.3	12.2	2.1%
10th Grade Geometry (Tennessee)	28.2	23.8	4.4%
11th Grade Algebra II (Southwind High)	8.8	8	0.8%
11th Grade Algebra II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	7.3	8.7	1.4%
11th Grade Algebra II (Tennessee)	17.7	16.8	0.9%
All Grades Algebra II (Southwind High)	15.1	7.2	7.9%
All Grades Algebra II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	12.1	10.4	1.7%
All Grades Algebra II (Tennessee)	27.4	25.6	1.8%
All Grades English I (Southwind High)	10.7	13.5	2.8%
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 (Southwind High)	19.4	35	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%
All Grades Geometry (Southwind High)	13.7	5.8	7.9%
All Grades Geometry (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)	17.5	12.9	4.6%
All Grades Geometry (Tennessee)	33.9	28.6	5.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1640	1507	8.1%
African American	1354	1134	16.2%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	12	7	41.7%
Hispanic	239	301	25.9%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	15	11	26.7%
Two or More Races	19	52	173.7%

Schools Near Southwind 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 10th 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Houston High School	Public	9-12	9755 Wolf River BLVD	Germantown	38139	Shelby County	Germantown	No	No	No	Yes	(901) 756-2370	1,938	104	18.5		1,308 (67.5%)	272 (14.0%)	113 (5.8%)	158 (8.2%)	8 (0.4%)	4 (0.2%)	75 (3.9%)	85.1	28^th of 392 public high schools	92.9%		73.9	47^th of 384 public high schools	87.8%	19									35.6	9.1	34.7	85.6	40.6		52.1	93.4	62.4	36.4	72.1		48.6	48.9	61.4		61.4		73.9	73.8	94.3	38.5		55.2									$10,459	$770	$9,435
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwind High

What is the racial makeup of Southwind High?

Students at Southwind High are 75% African American, 20% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Is Southwind High a good school?

Southwind High ranks in the bottom 20.7% of Tennessee high schools.

How many students attend Southwind High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,507 students attended Southwind High.

What district is Southwind High in?

Memphis-Shelby County Schools

What schools feed into Southwind High?

Southwind High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Lowrance Elementary/Middle
Middle : Highland Oaks 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.