The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Sherwood Elementary
Sherwood Elementary, a regular public school in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools system, serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Its closest comparison set is relative to other districts in Shelby County, but the school is part of a large, urban district. The school is located in Memphis, a city with defining civic anchors like the Mississippi River, Beale Street, the National Civil Rights Museum, and FedExForum, which is home to the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies. Parks such as Tom Lee Park and Overton Park are part of the broader community fabric, and the Memphis Area Transit Authority provides public bus service.
The student body is diverse. A substantial majority of students are Black, and a large share are Hispanic, with a small number of White students and a very small number of Asian, American Indian, or multiracial students. State testing data for the 2024-25 school year covers a full range of subjects. In English language arts, about one in seven students scored at the proficient or above level. In math, roughly one in fourteen students did. In science, the proportion was similar to ELA. A social studies result from an earlier year showed a comparable share of students meeting proficiency, though assessment and cut-score changes since then make direct comparisons uncertain. The participation rate on state tests was full for the core subjects.
The school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile when measured against the middle-to-high performing districts in Shelby County. This is a straightforward indicator that academic proficiency, as measured by state assessments, is markedly lower here than in many other schools across the county. A parent evaluating this school will want to understand the specific academic support structures available for students who are not yet at grade level.
Basic economic context for the area shows typical national patterns. Housing values in the immediate zip code are below the state and national averages. Rents are also below average. The estimated rent-to-income ratio is moderate, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment on a typical home is comparable to or slightly less than prevailing rents.
Information on certain common school indicators is missing from the data provided. The school’s Title I status, free and reduced-price lunch rate, special education population count, and English learner population count were not available. Chronic absenteeism data, discipline information, course access details, and staffing data were also absent. For a school serving elementary grades, these are relevant areas a parent may want to investigate further with the school or district directly. Without a graduation rate, as the school does not serve high school grades, that metric is not applicable. The school is not a charter, and its magnet status was not specified.
No multi-year trend data was available, and no recent district-wide initiatives or reports on closures or tax referendums were included in the supplied material to provide a broader strategic context. The narrative here is anchored entirely in the single snapshot of data provided for this school. For families considering Sherwood Elementary, the core takeaway is a school with a high-diversity student body in a city with significant cultural and civic assets, where state-tested academic proficiency is low relative to other schools in the county.
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