The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 34% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Riverwood Elementary School
Riverwood Elementary School, a regular public school in Cordova, Tennessee, serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and is part of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district. The school’s enrollment is substantial for an elementary campus, and its student body is diverse, with the largest demographic groups being Black students, followed by a smaller share of Hispanic students, a smaller share of white students, and a modest presence of students who identify as two or more races and Asian students.
On the 2024-25 TNReady assessments, the school’s performance across tested subjects shows a clear pattern. In English language arts, a share of students met the state’s proficiency benchmark that was below the midpoint of schools in its cohort, while the share in math was lower still. Science proficiency was lower than both, with a smaller share of students reaching the proficient or above mark. A parent looking at these results will want to understand the specific academic supports available at the school, as the overall performance across these core subjects suggests the academic pathway is one where many students are still working toward grade-level expectations. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages these rates together, sits below the midpoint when compared to other districts in Shelby County.
The school context is shaped by its place in Cordova, a community that has grown rapidly from a farming hamlet into a major residential and retail node within Shelby County. The area is predominantly suburban and car-dependent, organized around large arterial roads and commercial centers like the Wolfchase Galleria mall. While Cordova has a historic Old Cordova Area with some original structures and community events like a crafts fair and a July Fourth parade, daily life is oriented around shopping centers and separated residential subdivisions. The housing market in the school’s zip code is priced at a level that is slightly below the state average for Tennessee but above what the national median implies, with rents that are similarly positioned. A mortgage payment on a typical home would be moderately higher than the average rent, a dynamic that is common in this market.
Riverwood is not a charter school and does not have a magnet designation. Data on free or reduced-price meal eligibility was not available, so a family’s sense of the school’s economic composition is incomplete from this profile. Similarly, information about special education services, English learner supports, chronic absenteeism, discipline, and staffing was not provided. These are all areas a parent may want to follow up on directly with the school or the district to get a full picture of student support. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate applies.
Cordova itself is in a period of active discussion about its governance. There are reported ongoing community efforts and petitions seeking de-annexation from Memphis and potential separate municipal status, which reflects a broader conversation about local control and identity. For a family considering Riverwood, understanding the district-level context of Memphis-Shelby County Schools is also relevant. The district has been engaged in a long-term facilities planning effort known as the Reimagining 901 plan, which has involved school closures and consolidations, and a property tax referendum was put before voters in recent years. These factors can affect school boundaries, program availability, and the overall financial resources available to a school like Riverwood. The district has its own set of policy priorities that may change over time, and a family moving to Cordova should be aware that the school’s connection to this large, urban district shapes many of its operational and programmatic decisions.
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