The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Willow Oaks Elementary
Willow Oaks Elementary is a regular public school in Memphis, Tennessee, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It operates as part of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, a large urban system. The school sits on Willow Road in the eastern part of the city, in an area where the housing market shows modest prices relative to national benchmarks. Home values in the surrounding zip code have seen a slight recent dip, while rents have edged up. By several measures, this is a relatively affordable part of Memphis.
The student body is diverse, with a predominantly Hispanic student population and a substantial Black student population, along with smaller shares of white students and students of two or more races. The school is midsized, and its grade-by-grade enrollment suggests relatively steady numbers through the elementary years, with a typical bulge in the upper grades.
On state assessments, Willow Oaks posted proficiency rates that are well below state averages across math, English language arts, and science. In math, roughly a quarter of students met the state’s proficiency bar; in ELA, the share was slightly higher, and in science it was similar. When compared to other districts in Shelby County, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. This is a meaningful signal for parents: academic performance at this school is notably lower than what many of its county peers achieve. The most recent available social studies data is from several years ago and predates a change in the test itself, so it is not directly comparable. A parent may want to ask the school what current social studies instruction looks like and how the school is addressing the gaps visible in the core tested subjects.
Participation rates on the state tests were very high, which means the results reflect the experience of nearly every student. Free and reduced-price lunch data was not available, and special education and English learner counts were also missing from the data we reviewed, so it is not possible to assess the level of economic or academic support need in the student body from that source. Parents should ask the school directly about these figures.
The school is not a charter, and its magnet status was not reported in the available files. Title I status was also not reported, though given the demographics and the district’s characteristics, many schools in this system receive federal Title I funding. No discipline data, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism figures were available in the data we examined, so a complete picture of school climate and day-to-day operations is not possible from this record alone.
Beyond academics, the school’s location in Memphis means families have access to the city’s broad array of cultural and recreational amenities: the Mississippi River riverfront, large urban parks like Shelby Farms and Overton Park, and institutions such as the National Civil Rights Museum and the Memphis Zoo. The city’s public transit system is operated by MATA, with board members appointed by the mayor.
Willow Oaks serves an elementary-age population only, so there is no high school graduation rate to report, nor are there advanced course offerings that would apply to older students. The school’s academic profile, based on available state testing data, shows a school with considerable room for improvement in core subjects. For a family weighing this school, the key question is whether the school’s current academic trajectory and support structures align with their expectations, and whether its performance trends are moving in a direction they find acceptable.
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