Top Rankings
Memphis-Shelby County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Tennessee for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 168 public elementary schools serving 83,007 students in Memphis-Shelby County Schools. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Tennessee.
Public Elementary Schools in Memphis-Shelby County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 18% (versus the Tennessee public elementary school average of 39%), and reading proficiency score of 22% (versus the 36% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 95% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the Tennessee public elementary school average of 44% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (TN)
# Schools
223 Schools
1,488 Schools
# Students
111,125 Students
714,340 Students
# Teachers
n/a
5 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
n/a
n/a
Student By Grade
District Rank
Memphis-Shelby County Schools, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 147 school districts in Tennessee (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 81% has increased from 79% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#137 out of 147 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
18%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
23%
37%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
21%
40%
Graduation Rate
81%
90%
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