The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus
Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus is a public charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Memphis, Tennessee. It operates within Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the large unified district covering the city and county. As a regular charter school, it is publicly funded but independently run, which can mean differences in curriculum, schedule, or instructional approach that a parent would want to learn about directly from the school. The campus serves just under three hundred students, a small enrollment for a K–8 school. That size, paired with the charter model, may allow for more individual attention and closer relationships between staff and families.
The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with a smaller but still substantial Black population, and very small numbers of White and other racial groups. Data on students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, students with disabilities, and English learners were not reported in the available records. A parent considering this school would likely want to ask the school directly about these figures, as they are important context for understanding the levels of support and resources available. The absence of that data is notable but not unusual for some charter schools in their reporting.
On the annual state assessments, Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus shows proficiency rates that, when averaged across tested subjects, place it below the midpoint among the eight school districts in Shelby County. In reading and language arts, just over a third of students scored at or above the state’s proficiency standard. In math, the figure was above that, at roughly two-fifths. Science proficiency was around a third, and social studies was at about two-fifths. These results suggest that many students are working below grade-level expectations, and a family considering this school should look into how the school addresses academic gaps and accelerates progress. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate applies. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. The school’s participation rates on the tests were complete, which indicates that nearly all enrolled students were tested.
About the broader community: The school is located in Memphis’s Hickory Hill area, part of a large city with a rich cultural landscape. Publicly reported amenities include the Mississippi River and Tom Lee Park, which underwent a major renovation recently. Memphis is home to Shelby Farms Park, Overton Park and the Memphis Zoo, Beale Street, the National Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, Sun Studio, and FedExForum for the NBA’s Grizzlies. The Memphis Area Transit Authority provides bus service, and the mayor appoints its board. The city is served by the Memphis Public Libraries system. Housing in the surrounding ZIP code is more affordable than both the Tennessee state average and the national median, with home values and rents that have dipped slightly in recent reporting. Mortgage rates nationally have been in the mid-six percent range, and unemployment remains moderate.
We looked for district-level developments that might affect this school, such as school closures related to the Reimagining 901 plan or property tax referendum results, but the research did not yield clear findings we could confidently include. A parent may want to check directly with Memphis-Shelby County Schools or follow local news to understand any changes in funding or school footprint that could affect Compass’s operations.
This is a relatively small charter school in a high-need area of Memphis. Its academic results are below the average of its county’s districts, and the school has not reported several key student-support indicators. Families drawn to a charter setting with a small student body may find it worth a visit to see the program in action and ask about how the school works to bring students to grade-level performance.
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