Summary:
The 38119 zip code area of Memphis, Tennessee is home to 5 schools serving students from elementary through high school, all part of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district. While the two elementary schools, Oak Forest Elementary and Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary, perform relatively well, the middle and high schools, Ridgeway Middle, Germantown High, and Ridgeway High, struggle with much lower academic proficiency rates.
Oak Forest Elementary stands out as the highest-performing school in the area, ranking 265 out of 1,008 Tennessee elementary schools and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. It has significantly higher proficiency rates than the district and state averages across math, English language arts, and science. Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary also performs well, ranking 502 out of 1,008 and earning a 3-star rating, with higher proficiency rates than the district and state in most subject areas. In contrast, the high schools in the 38119 zip code perform below the state average and have low SchoolDigger rankings and ratings.
The student populations at these schools are predominantly African American and Hispanic, raising questions about equity and access to quality education for underrepresented student groups. The data also suggests a potential link between funding and academic outcomes, as the school with the highest spending per student, Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary, is one of the higher-performing schools in the area. Addressing the stark disparities in performance between the elementary and secondary schools, and ensuring all students have access to a high-quality education, should be a priority for the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district and the local community.
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