Public School Review - Established 2003

University Middle School vs. Maxine Smith Steam Academy

Should I attend University Middle School or Maxine Smith Steam Academy? Visitors of our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare the two schools' rankings, test scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.

School Overview

School
University Middle School
330 Innovation Dr
Memphis, TN 38111
: 
8/
10
Top 30%
Maxine Smith Steam Academy
750 E Parkway S
Memphis, TN 38104
: 
9/
10
Top 20%
Top Rankings

University Middle School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Tennessee for:

Category
Attribute
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 10%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 10%)

Maxine Smith Steam Academy ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Tennessee for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 20%)
Overview
Serving 237 students in grades 6-8, University Middle School ranks in the top 30% of all schools in Tennessee for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 50%, and reading proficiency is top 50%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 25-29% (which is approximately equal to the Tennessee state average of 28%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 50-54% (which is higher than the Tennessee state average of 30%).
The student:teacher ratio of 11:1 is lower than the Tennessee state level of 15:1.
Minority enrollment is 53% of the student body (majority Black), which is higher than the Tennessee state average of 40% (majority Black).
Serving 350 students in grades 6-8, Maxine Smith Steam Academy ranks in the top 20% of all schools in Tennessee for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 30%, and reading proficiency is top 30%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 39% (which is higher than the Tennessee state average of 28%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 68% (which is higher than the Tennessee state average of 30%).
The student:teacher ratio of 21:1 is higher than the Tennessee state level of 15:1.
Minority enrollment is 68% of the student body (majority Black), which is higher than the Tennessee state average of 40% (majority Black).
Blue Ribbon Schools
-
Yes
Grades Offered
6-8
6-8
Total Students
237 students
350 students
This chart display total students of University Middle School by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display total students of Maxine Smith Steam Academy by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% Male | % Female
46% | 54%
51% | 49%
This chart display gender of University Middle School
This chart display gender of Maxine Smith Steam Academy
Total Classroom Teachers
22 teachers
17 teachers
This chart display the total teachers of University Middle School by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display the total teachers of Maxine Smith Steam Academy by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
11:1
21:1
This chart display the student teacher ratio of University Middle School and the public school average student teacher ratio of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display the student teacher ratio of Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the public school average student teacher ratio of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Test Scores

#359 out of 1721 schools in TN
(Top 30%)
#181 out of 1721 schools in TN
(Top 20%)
n/a
This chart display the overall school rank of Maxine Smith Steam Academy, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
25-29%
(Top 50% in TN)
39%
(Top 30% in TN)
n/a
This chart display the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of public schools in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
50-54%
(Top 10% in TN)
68%
(Top 5% in TN)
n/a
This chart display the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Students by Grade

Students by Grade
This chart display the students of University Middle School by grade.
This chart display the students of Maxine Smith Steam Academy by grade.
Grade 6 Students
82
123
Grade 7 Students
80
114
Grade 8 Students
75
113

Students by Ethnicity

% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
4%
1%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in University Middle School and the percentage of Asian public school students in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the percentage of Asian public school students in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% Hispanic
5%
6%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in University Middle School and the percentage of Hispanic public school students in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the percentage of Hispanic public school students in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% Black
39%
54%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in University Middle School and the percentage of Black public school students in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the percentage of Black public school students in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% White
47%
32%
This chart display the percentage of White students in University Middle School and the percentage of White public school students in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display the percentage of White students in Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the percentage of White public school students in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
7%
This chart display the percentage of students of two or more races in University Middle School and the percentage of public school students of two or more races in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display the percentage of students of two or more races in Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the percentage of public school students of two or more races in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
0.63
0.60
This chart display the diversity score of University Middle School and the public school average diversity score of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
This chart display the diversity score of Maxine Smith Steam Academy and the public school average diversity score of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
 
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