The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Math. The lowest is 7% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Memphis Scholars Florida Kansas
Memphis Scholars Florida Kansas is a charter elementary school in Memphis, Tennessee, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates under the Achievement School District, a state-run district created to turn around low-performing schools. The school is located in the southern part of the city, in a neighborhood where home values and rents are well below national averages—among the most affordable in the Memphis area.
The student body is small and nearly all Black. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners is not available in the public record, so a parent would need to ask the school directly for those details.
Academically, the school’s state test results place it among the lowest in Shelby County. In math and reading, proficiency rates fall well short of county norms, and science scores are similarly low. The most recent social studies results are from an earlier year and show the same pattern. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages performance across tested subjects and grades, sits in the bottom quartile compared with other districts in the county. For a family weighing options, these numbers are a clear soft spot. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider.
The context that matters most for families is the district itself. The Achievement School District is being dissolved. In April 2025, the Tennessee legislature passed a bill to replace it with a tiered intervention system starting in the 2026–27 school year. All remaining ASD schools will be transferred back to their local districts. For Memphis Scholars Florida Kansas, that means returning to Memphis-Shelby County Schools. The ASD has already contracted sharply in recent years, from more than two dozen schools to just a handful. A 2024 Brown University study found that the ASD did not significantly raise test scores or graduation rates, and the legislative decision reflects that record. Families currently enrolled should expect a major governance change and should ask the school and the local district what the transition will mean for curriculum, staffing, and school culture.
Memphis itself is a large city with a rich cultural and civic landscape. Tom Lee Park, a downtown riverfront park, underwent a large renovation in 2023 that added ballcourts, trails, and bike stands. Shelby Farms Park in East Memphis is one of the largest urban parks in the country. Overton Park houses the Memphis Zoo and adjoins Rhodes College. Beale Street, the National Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, Sun Studio, and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music anchor the city’s identity. The Memphis Area Transit Authority provides public bus service, and the mayor appoints its board members. The Mississippi River is a defining presence.
For a parent, this school offers a small, neighborhood-based elementary setting in a highly affordable part of a major city. But the academic record is weak, and the school’s governance is in flux. Anyone considering it should dig into the post-ASD transition plan and learn how the school plans to address its current performance levels.
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