Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle Schools

Best Middle Schools
in Memphis-Shelby County Schools

This page covers 35 middle schools in Memphis-Shelby County Schools, including 10 charter schools. Rankings use a composite of neighborhood opportunity, class sizes, and per-student investment — signals available consistently from federal data across all US public schools. Schools in this district score below the national median on neighborhood opportunity. Use these rankings as a starting point; pair them with school visits and conversations with local parents before making any enrollment decision.

35
Schools Ranked
Tennessee
State
10
Charter Schools
RankingsHow We RankFAQAbout Data

Middle Schools Rankings

Showing 10 of 35
1
rank
Memphis Business Academy Hickory Hill Middle School
Grades 06–0851 studentsCharter
Ranked for: small class sizes (6.7:1)
72
/100
Student:Teacher
6.7:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
2
rank
Memphis Business Academy Middle
Grades 06–08390 studentsCharter
Ranked for: small class sizes (11.1:1)
63
/100
Student:Teacher
11.1:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
3
rank
Power Center Academy Middle - Southeast
Grades 06–08240 studentsCharter
Ranked for: small class sizes (13.3:1)
59
/100
Student:Teacher
13.3:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
4
rank
Chickasaw Middle
Grades 06–08322 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
57
/100
Student:Teacher
14.0:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
5
rank
White Station Middle
Grades 06–081,099 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
54
/100
Student:Teacher
15.7:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
6
rank
Germantown Middle
Grades 06–08734 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
54
/100
Student:Teacher
15.8:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
7
rank
City University School Girls Preparatory
Grades 06–0886 studentsCharter
Ranked for: small class sizes (8.9:1)
53
/100
Student:Teacher
8.9:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
31/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
8
rank
Colonial Middle
Grades 06–081,000 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
52
/100
Student:Teacher
16.3:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
51/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
9
rank
Woodstock Middle School
Grades 06–08229 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (10.3:1)
51
/100
Student:Teacher
10.3:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
32/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
10
rank
Highland Oaks Middle
Grades 06–08589 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
50
/100
Student:Teacher
17.5:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,292
Near nat'l avg
25 more middle schools in Memphis-Shelby County Schools not shown here.
View all schools in Memphis-Shelby County Schools
How We Rank Middle Schools

Each school receives a composite score (0–100) built from 4 federal data signals, weighted to reflect what matters most at the middle school level. All signals are normalised against national benchmarks so a school's score reflects its standing across the entire US, not just within this district.

Neighborhood Opportunity
35%
Harvard Opportunity Atlas score for the school's neighbourhood. Reflects long-run economic outcomes for children raised in this area.
Student-Teacher Ratio
30%
Lower ratio = smaller classes. Particularly important during the middle years when academic and social needs are at their most complex.
Per-Pupil Expenditure
20%
Annual district spending per enrolled student from the NCES F-33 Finance Survey. Compared against national average.
Free Lunch Rate
15%
Percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. Reflects the economic profile of the community the school serves.
Test scores are excluded: they are not published as consistent open federal data across all states, making reliable cross-district comparison impossible with this signal alone.
District at a Glance
35
Middle Schools
216
Total Schools
72
#1 Score
47
Avg Score
Top Ranked Middle School
Compare Memphis-Shelby County Schools with neighbouring districts
⇄ Compare districts
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets: NCES Common Core of Data (enrollment, school characteristics, student-teacher ratios), NCES F-33 Finance Survey (per-pupil expenditure), Harvard Opportunity Atlas (neighbourhood opportunity scores). Federal data is published on an annual cycle and may not reflect the very latest school-year changes. Rankings reflect available data and should be used as a starting point — not a substitute for visiting schools or consulting district resources directly. What this ranking does not measure: teacher quality, classroom culture, extracurricular programmes, school safety, or parent and student satisfaction.