Home | Donate Now | FAQ en Español | Tell a Friend |

Memphis

Schools

Despite Memphis's revitalization, many of the central city's schools continue to lag behind surrounding county schools in terms of student achievement. The Memphis City School District is Tennessee’s largest school district and the 18th largest in the nation. Of the more than 119,000 students which it serves, only 63 percent of fourth graders perform on grade level in math, which is well below the state average of 80 percent. State tests reveal similar results in reading. Only 66 percent of Memphis eighth graders read at grade level, compared to the 81 percent state average. In addition, data from the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce reveals that the city's schools had a graduation rate of 48 percent, while neighboring Shelby County’s rate stands at 73.4 percent. As a result, the Tennessee Department of Education designated 41 Memphis schools as failing to meet the nation's No Child Left Behind standards in 2006.

To narrow this achievement gap, district leaders in Memphis plan to focus on improving literacy and math skills in low-performing schools. Adopting new textbooks and offering advanced professional training to math teachers are just two steps the city has taken to create more academically challenging and effective learning environments. The city is also introducing initiatives to strengthen ties to the community in order to further support the educational, vocational, physical, and emotional wellbeing of its students. Members of the Memphis corps have the opportunity to be at the forefront of the city's education reform movement and ultimately have a major impact on educational outcomes for students in Memphis.

At a Glance

School Districts:
Memphis City Schools

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population
85% African-American
8% Caucasian
5% Latino/Hispanic
<1% Asian-American
<1% Native American

Ethnic Breakdown-Memphis
61% African-American
34% Caucasian
3% Latino/Hispanic
2% Asian-American
< 1% Native American
2% Other

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch

71%
Placements
27% elementary
73% secondary
80% teach at a school with another corps member or alumnus
K-12 grade level placements available: history/social studies math science foreign language special education ESL English