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Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District

Item: Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District
Rating: 1
Author: Public School Review

160 S Hollywood
Memphis, TN 38112

( shown in map)

Bottom 50%

Tel: (901) 321-2500

www.scsk12.org

Top Rankings

Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Tennessee for:

Overview

This School District

This State (TN)

# Schools

225 Schools

1,925 Schools

# Students

111,219 Students

1,010,424 Students

# Teachers

6,868 Teachers

66,546 Teachers

Student : Teacher Ratio

16:1

Student By Grade

View Data

Comparison of Students By Grade Trends
Grade	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
Pre-K	4,874	223
Kind	8,830	502
1	8,809	510
2	9,133	523
3	8,352	502
4	8,448	504
5	8,699	510
6	8,196	504
7	8,022	499
8	7,785	499
9	8,476	517
10	7,482	519
11	6,895	497
12	7,218	475

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District Rank

Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District, 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.

This School District

State Average (TN)

#137 out of 147 school districts
(Bottom 50%)

View Data

Overall School District Rank Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District
2023	#137
2022	#135
2021	#140
2019	#132
2018	#129
2017	#137
2016	#129
2015	#137
2014	#123

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18%

34%

View Data

Math Proficiency Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	18%	34%
2022	14%	31%
2021	8%	28%
2019	26%	39%
2018	22%	35%
2017	19%	36%
2016	6%	17%
2015	42%	57%
2014	42%	52%

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23%

37%

View Data

Reading and Language Arts Proficiency Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2022	23%	37%
2021	14%	30%
2019	22%	35%
2018	22%	35%
2017	21%	35%
2016	24%	35%
2015	35%	51%
2014	43%	52%

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21%

40%

View Data

Science Proficiency Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2022	21%	40%
2021	16%	38%

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81%

90%

View Data

Graduation Rate Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	81%	90%
2022	80%	90%
2021	78%	88%
2020	78%	89%
2019	79%	90%
2018	79%	89%
2017	80%	89%
2016	79%	88%
2015	75%	87%
2014	75%	86%

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Students by Ethnicity:

0.45

0.61

View Data

Comparison of Diversity Score Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	0.43	0.59
2022	0.43	0.58
2021	0.42	0.58
2020	0.41	0.56
2019	0.41	0.56
2018	0.41	0.55
2017	0.41	0.55
2016	0.38	0.54
2015	0.42	0.53
2014	0.51	0.52

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% American Indian

n/a

% Asian

View Data

Asian Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2014-2023)
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	2%	2%
2022	2%	2%
2021	2%	2%
2020	2%	2%
2019	2%	2%
2018	2%	3%
2017	2%	3%
2016	1%	3%
2015	3%	3%
2014	3%	2%

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% Hispanic

19%

15%

View Data

Hispanic Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2014-2023)
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	18%	14%
2022	17%	13%
2021	16%	12%
2020	14%	11%
2019	14%	11%
2018	13%	10%
2017	13%	10%
2016	12%	9%
2015	12%	8%
2014	9%	8%

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% Black

72%

21%

View Data

Black Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2014-2023)
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	72%	21%
2022	73%	21%
2021	73%	22%
2020	75%	22%
2019	75%	22%
2018	74%	22%
2017	74%	22%
2016	78%	22%
2015	68%	22%
2014	67%	23%

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% White

57%

View Data

White Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2014-2023)
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	5%	59%
2022	5%	60%
2021	6%	60%
2020	7%	62%
2019	7%	62%
2018	8%	63%
2017	8%	63%
2016	7%	64%
2015	10%	65%
2014	20%	66%

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% Hawaiian

n/a

% Two or more races

View Data

Two or More Races Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2014-2023)
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	3%	4%
2022	3%	4%
2021	3%	4%
2020	2%	3%
2019	2%	3%
2018	3%	2%
2017	3%	2%
2016	2%	2%
2015	3%	2%
2014	1%	1%

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All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,462 is higher than the state median of $11,979. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

The school district's spending/student of $12,433 is higher than the state median of $11,478. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

This School District

This State (TN)

Total Revenue

$1,386 MM

$12,104 MM

View Data

Total Revenues Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	$1,386 MM	$39 MM
2022	$1,347 MM	$36 MM
2021	$1,386 MM	$39 MM
2020	$1,347 MM	$36 MM
2019	$1,307 MM	$35 MM
2018	$1,374 MM	$35 MM
2017	$1,273 MM	$34 MM
2016	$1,219 MM	$33 MM
2015	$1,470 MM	$30 MM
2014	$1,470 MM	$32 MM

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Spending

$1,383 MM

$11,597 MM

View Data

Total Expenditure Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	$1,383 MM	$38 MM
2022	$1,395 MM	$36 MM
2021	$1,383 MM	$38 MM
2020	$1,395 MM	$36 MM
2019	$1,425 MM	$35 MM
2018	$1,362 MM	$34 MM
2017	$1,307 MM	$33 MM
2016	$1,253 MM	$32 MM
2015	$1,500 MM	$29 MM
2014	$1,500 MM	$33 MM

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Revenue / Student

$12,462

$11,979

View Data

Average Revenue Per Student Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	$12,623	$12,207
2022	$11,901	$10,799
2021	$12,511	$12,446
2020	$11,901	$10,799
2019	$11,658	$10,461
2018	$12,597	$10,253
2017	$201,424	$9,828
2016	$271,600	$9,274
2015	$542,776	$8,707
2014	$9,814	$8,998

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Spending / Student

$12,433

$11,478

View Data

Average Expenditure Per Student Trends
Year	Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District	Tennessee
2023	$12,594	$11,923
2022	$12,324	$10,735
2021	$12,482	$12,157
2020	$12,324	$10,735
2019	$12,705	$10,381
2018	$12,489	$10,022
2017	$206,871	$9,561
2016	$279,175	$9,213
2015	$553,735	$8,563
2014	$10,012	$9,415

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District?

Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District manages 225 public schools serving 111,219 students.

What is the rank of Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District?

Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District is ranked #139 out of 147 school districts in Tennessee (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Tennessee school districts for: Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)

What is the racial composition of students in Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District?

72% of Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District students are Black, 19% of students are Hispanic, 5% of students are White, 3% of students are Two or more races, and 1% of students are Asian.

What is the student/teacher ratio of Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District?

Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District has a student/teacher ratio of 16:1, which is higher than the Tennessee state average of 15:1.

What is Memphis-Shelby County Schools School District's spending/student ratio?

The school district's spending/student of $12,433 is higher than the state median of $11,478. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

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Quick Stats (2025)

District size: 225 schools
Grades: PK-12
Enrollment: 111,219 students
Student:Teacher Ratio: 16:1
Minority Enrollment: 95%
: 81% (Btm 50% in TN)
: Bottom 50%
: 18% (Btm 50%)
: 23% (Btm 50%)
: 21% (Btm 50%)
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), TN Dept. of Education