Memphis School of Excellence

Summary:

Memphis School of Excellence is a public charter high school serving grades 6-12 in Memphis, Tennessee, with a diverse student population of around 43% African American and 54% Hispanic students. However, the school consistently underperforms compared to the district and state averages on standardized tests, ranking in the bottom 25-30% of high schools in Tennessee.

Despite spending more per student than nearby traditional public high schools like Ridgeway High, Kirby High, and Overton High, Memphis School of Excellence's academic outcomes are significantly lower. The school's performance has declined over time, with its statewide ranking dropping from 123 out of 273 high schools in 2016-2017 to 293 out of 374 high schools in 2023-2024. The school's performance is particularly low for female, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status students, ranking in the bottom 25-40% of Tennessee high schools for these subgroups.

As a public charter school, Memphis School of Excellence's struggles raise questions about the effectiveness of the charter school model in improving educational outcomes for underserved students in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, which is ranked 134 out of 139 districts in Tennessee and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. The data analysis suggests the need for a comprehensive review of the factors contributing to the school's underperformance and the implementation of targeted strategies to address the significant gaps in outcomes for certain student subgroups.


Detail:

Public, Charter 6-12

 4921 Winchester RD
       Memphis, TN  38118


(901) 425-2932

District: Memphis-Shelby County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
308th of 392 Tennessee High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,413 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  12.5 Help
Number of students:  526

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
53.6%
African American:
43.5%
Two or more races:
1.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  88.3% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Memphis School of Excellence ranks worse than 84.8% of middle schools in Tennessee. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.8. (See more...)
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Compare Details Memphis School of Excellence ranks worse than 78.6% of high schools in Tennessee. It also ranks 13th among 36 ranked high schools in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.16. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Memphis School of Excellence freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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
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Compare Details Memphis School of Excellence has the largest high school student body size in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Memphis School of Excellence is $17,413, which is the 8th highest among 36 high schools in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Memphis School of Excellence:

SchoolDigger ranks Memphis School of Excellence 498th of 587 Tennessee public middle schools. (See Memphis School of Excellence in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Memphis School of Excellence 308th of 392 Tennessee public high schools. (See Memphis School of Excellence 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 135th of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Memphis School of Excellence

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Rank History for all middle school students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.47 436th 563 22.6%
2019 26.72 442nd 574 23.0%
2021 11.91 507th 576 12.0%
2022 18.56 469th 569 17.6%
2023 16.34 499th 594 16.0%
2024 15.80 498th 587 15.2%
See the entire list of Tennessee High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 31.28 25th 32 21.9%
2023 31.25 32nd 42 23.8%
2024 25.15 67th 73 8.2%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.80 218th 481 54.7%
2019 38.36 309th 490 36.9%
2021 12.88 460th 483 4.8%
2022 28.66 364th 495 26.5%
2023 26.36 397th 514 22.8%
2024 23.18 416th 510 18.4%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 19.90 443rd 529 16.3%
2021 12.10 482nd 538 10.4%
2022 18.11 466th 552 15.6%
2023 14.93 487th 560 13.0%
2024 14.39 485th 554 12.5%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 35.75 345th 523 34.0%
2021 11.39 477th 529 9.8%
2022 17.26 455th 540 15.7%
2023 17.29 468th 557 16.0%
2024 19.29 463rd 560 17.3%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.87 130th 284 54.2%
2019 44.23 136th 293 53.6%
2021 23.69 209th 277 24.5%
2022 37.14 167th 299 44.1%
2023 31.29 196th 316 38.0%
2024 29.60 217th 318 31.8%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.06 133rd 219 39.3%
2019 33.58 155th 228 32.0%
2021 16.34 241st 261 7.7%
2022 25.05 217th 275 21.1%
2023 21.89 239th 285 16.1%
2024 24.46 224th 285 21.4%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Hispanic Students!

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

Rank History for Memphis School of Excellence

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Rank History for all high school students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2016 28.89 267th 351 23.9%
2017 50.13 123rd 273 54.9%
2018 27.40 267th 341 21.7%
2019 32.81 240th 342 29.8%
2021 24.76 273rd 347 21.3%
2022 36.24 228th 358 36.3%
2023 23.91 310th 384 19.3%
2024 24.16 308th 392 21.4%
See the entire list of Tennessee High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.22 78th 308 74.7%
2019 57.67 88th 302 70.9%
2021 42.53 172nd 317 45.7%
2022 50.71 126th 322 60.9%
2023 27.70 256th 330 22.4%
2024 52.46 125th 337 62.9%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 29.68 258th 337 23.4%
2021 16.44 294th 340 13.5%
2022 27.56 269th 350 23.1%
2023 23.47 294th 366 19.7%
2024 24.05 291st 365 20.3%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 35.33 213th 329 35.3%
2021 31.76 232nd 332 30.1%
2022 41.52 185th 349 47.0%
2023 26.75 272nd 359 24.2%
2024 25.48 279th 366 23.8%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.53 77th 199 61.3%
2019 56.06 51st 187 72.7%
2021 40.65 109th 208 47.6%
2022 52.65 70th 222 68.5%
2023 39.42 125th 239 47.7%
2024 31.57 152nd 240 36.7%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Memphis School of Excellence

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.16 19th 159 88.1%
2019 42.64 80th 153 47.7%
2021 37.59 105th 180 41.7%
2022 37.81 116th 189 38.6%
2023 29.17 152nd 202 24.8%
2024 37.03 133rd 209 36.4%
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.

Memphis School of Excellence 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 Memphis School of Excellence

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2014 2 321 7 60 0 0 4 0 394
2015 3 355 8 81 0 0 5 0 452
2016 4 345 6 96 0 0 3 0 454
2017 3 361 6 121 0 0 3 0 494
2018 3 370 7 165 0 0 3 0 548
2019 3 327 6 179 0 0 7 0 522
2020 4 294 5 209 0 0 5 0 517
2021 5 281 6 257 0 0 6 0 555
2022 5 262 5 272 0 0 8 0 552
2023 5 229 3 282 0 0 7 0 526

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 Memphis School of Excellence

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2014 394 19.0 20.7 89.6
2015 452 24.0 18.8 91.2
2016 454 30.0 15.1 88.3
2017 494 38.0 13.0 n/a
2018 548 40.0 13.7 n/a
2019 522 39.0 13.3 n/a
2020 517 32.0 16.1 n/a
2021 555 31.8 17.4 n/a
2022 552 34.6 15.9 n/a
2023 526 41.8 12.5 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 Memphis School of Excellence

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2014 394 19.0 20.7 89.6
2015 452 24.0 18.8 91.2
2016 454 30.0 15.1 88.3
2017 494 38.0 13.0 n/a
2018 548 40.0 13.7 n/a
2019 522 39.0 13.3 n/a
2020 517 32.0 16.1 n/a
2021 555 31.8 17.4 n/a
2022 552 34.6 15.9 n/a
2023 526 41.8 12.5 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 Memphis School of Excellence

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $866 (7.1%) $11,246 (91.6%) $12,272
2020 $926 (7.6%) $11,038 (91.1%) $12,121
2021 $1,583 (10.9%) $12,740 (87.6%) $14,548
2022 $2,828 (16.9%) $13,607 (81.3%) $16,734
2023 $4,627 (26.6%) $12,470 (71.6%) $17,413

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Memphis School of Excellence

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 442nd of 574 Middle schoolsRanks 499th of 594 Middle schools
 7%
Ranks 240th of 342 High schoolsRanks 310th of 384 High schools
 10.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Memphis School of Excellence)11.914.7
 2.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)22.211.9
 10.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)3933.8
 5.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Memphis School of Excellence)11.825
 13.2%
   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 (Memphis School of Excellence)23.819.1
 4.7%
   6th Grade Social Studies (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)21.222.7
 1.5%
   6th Grade Social Studies (Tennessee)3843.4
 5.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Memphis School of Excellence)19.89.5
 10.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)17.512.7
 4.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)33.635
 1.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Memphis School of Excellence)269.3
 16.7%
   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 (Memphis School of Excellence)27.124
 3.1%
   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 (Memphis School of Excellence)31.921.7
 10.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)20.912.5
 8.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)35.134
 1.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Memphis School of Excellence)16.714.3
 2.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)13.413.6
 0.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)27.125.8
 1.3%
8th Grade Social Studies (Memphis School of Excellence)40.316.9
 23.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)22.821.7
 1.1%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Tennessee)41.541.6
 0.1%
9th Grade Algebra I (Memphis School of Excellence)23.15.2
 17.9%
   9th Grade Algebra I (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)8.77.3
 1.4%
   9th Grade Algebra I (Tennessee)21.817.8
 4%
9th Grade English I (Memphis School of Excellence)15.419.5
 4.1%
   9th Grade English I (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)1718.8
 1.8%
   9th Grade English I (Tennessee)33.336
 2.7%
10th Grade US History (Memphis School of Excellence)12.535.4
 22.9%
   10th Grade US History (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)5.810.9
 5.1%
   10th Grade US History (Tennessee)15.324.9
 9.6%
10th Grade English II (Memphis School of Excellence)3041.8
 11.8%
   10th Grade English II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)25.837.1
 11.3%
   10th Grade English II (Tennessee)4450.7
 6.7%
10th Grade Geometry (Memphis School of Excellence)28.29.1
 19.1%
   10th Grade Geometry (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)14.312.2
 2.1%
   10th Grade Geometry (Tennessee)28.223.8
 4.4%
11th Grade Algebra II (Memphis School of Excellence)13.37.1
 6.2%
   11th Grade Algebra II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)7.38.7
 1.4%
   11th Grade Algebra II (Tennessee)17.716.8
 0.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Memphis School of Excellence)20.615.6
 5%
   All Grades Mathematics (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)27.217
 10.2%
   All Grades Mathematics (Tennessee)40.838.1
 2.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Memphis School of Excellence)18.612.4
 6.2%
   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 Algebra I (Memphis School of Excellence)23.15.2
 17.9%
   All Grades Algebra I (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)12.110.7
 1.4%
   All Grades Algebra I (Tennessee)27.423.2
 4.2%
All Grades Algebra II (Memphis School of Excellence)14.97
 7.9%
   All Grades Algebra II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)12.110.4
 1.7%
   All Grades Algebra II (Tennessee)27.425.6
 1.8%
All Grades US History (Memphis School of Excellence)12.335.3
 23%
   All Grades US History (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)13.925.4
 11.5%
   All Grades US History (Tennessee)28.638.5
 9.9%
All Grades English I (Memphis School of Excellence)15.419.2
 3.8%
   All Grades English I (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)16.518.5
 2%
   All Grades English I (Tennessee)32.735.4
 2.7%
All Grades English II (Memphis School of Excellence)3041.8
 11.8%
   All Grades English II (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)24.535.6
 11.1%
   All Grades English II (Tennessee)42.749.4
 6.7%
All Grades Geometry (Memphis School of Excellence)28.29
 19.2%
   All Grades Geometry (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)17.512.9
 4.6%
   All Grades Geometry (Tennessee)33.928.6
 5.3%
All Grades Social Studies (Memphis School of Excellence)29.819.9
 9.9%
   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 Students522526
 0.8%
African American327229
 30%
American Indian00
Asian63
 50%
Hispanic179282
 57.5%
Pacific Islander00
White35
 66.7%
Two or More Races77


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Frequently Asked Questions about Memphis School of Excellence

In the 2022-23 school year, 526 students attended Memphis School of Excellence.

Students at Memphis School of Excellence are 54% Hispanic, 44% African American, 1% Two or more races.

Memphis School of Excellence ranks in the bottom 21.4% of Tennessee high schools.


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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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