The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in Social studies. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Macon-hall Elementary
Macon-Hall Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within the Memphis-Shelby County Schools system. The school is located in Cordova, a community that grew from a farming hamlet into a major residential and retail hub over the past few decades. Cordova is suburban and car-dependent, organized around arterial roads lined with shopping centers and subdivisions. The area has seen significant development along Germantown Parkway and Macon Road, anchored by the Wolfchase Galleria mall. In recent years, some residents have organized efforts seeking de-annexation from Memphis and potential separate municipal status, reflecting ongoing tensions around growth and governance.
The student body is one of the largest among elementary schools in the district, with enrollment that exceeds what many elementary schools serve in the region. The student population is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of White, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students, as well as a very small number of Native American and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not available, nor were counts for students with disabilities or English learners. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these figures and how they inform the supports offered.
On state assessments, proficiency rates for all students fall substantially below what is typical across tested subjects and grades. In reading and language arts, roughly a third of students scored at the proficient level or above. In math, the rate was below that. Science performance sat between the two. The school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quarter when compared with other districts in Shelby County. The social studies results are from several years ago and are not comparable because the state changed both the test and its cut scores in that subject, so those numbers do not reflect current performance. Participation on the math, reading, and science tests was essentially universal, meaning nearly all enrolled students took the exams. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available.
The housing market in Cordova’s zip code reflects a community that is more affordable than the national median, though home values have softened slightly, and rents have also eased a bit in recent months. The local economic context is shaped by retail and commercial employment around the Wolfchase Galleria and Germantown Parkway corridor, as well as by institutions such as Hope Presbyterian Church. Civic anchors include the Cordova Branch Library, the Bert Ferguson Community Center, and the historic Cordova Community Center. Schools are spread across separate campuses, and the old downtown area still hosts annual events like a crafts fair and a Fourth of July parade.
The district itself is large and urban, and while we looked for recent strategic priorities or major changes such as school closures or property tax referendums, little publicly reported information specific to the school’s immediate context was available to summarize. A parent considering Macon-Hall Elementary will want to look closely at how the school supports students who are not yet meeting grade-level expectations, especially in math and reading, and to understand what programs and interventions are in place. The school serves a high-enrollment community with a diverse student body, and the surrounding area offers suburban amenities and ongoing development, but the academic results warrant a direct conversation with the school about its improvement efforts.
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