The top reported proficiency rate is 13% in Math. The lowest is 6% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hanley K-8
Hanley K-8 sits in midtown Memphis as a regular public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade within the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district. With an enrollment that is sizable for a K-8 campus, the student body draws overwhelmingly from one racial background; nearly every student is Black, and the remaining small shares are Hispanic, two or more races, Asian, or White. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not available in the reporting, so a family looking to understand the concentration of economic need may want to ask the school directly.
State testing results from the most recent school year show that a small share of students met the proficiency standard in math, a similarly small share did so in English language arts, and the share was even smaller in science. The school’s social studies proficiency rate from the prior year was also low. Participation rates on all assessments were high, meaning nearly all enrolled students took the tests. When placed against other districts in Shelby County, Hanley’s combined proficiency across subjects sits in the bottom quartile; the gap between this school and the county median is wide. A parent considering the school should be aware that the academic landscape is one where most students are not yet reaching grade-level benchmarks on the state’s TNReady assessments, and they may want to ask about the supports the school offers for students who are below grade level.
Because Hanley ends at eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. The school does not offer the kind of upper-level coursework or career pathways that appear in high school settings, so the focus here is squarely on elementary and middle grades. The data did not include information on special education or English learner populations, nor did it include discipline rates or staffing ratios, all of which could matter to families deciding whether the school fits a child’s needs. The absence of that data is a gap worth noting; a parent may wish to follow up with the school for a fuller picture.
The area around Hanley sits within the city of Memphis, defined by the Mississippi River as a dominant geographic presence. Tom Lee Park, a downtown riverfront space, underwent a large renovation recently. Shelby Farms Park and Overton Park are other major public spaces. Beale Street serves as a cultural anchor, and the city is home to the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum, along with landmarks such as the National Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, Sun Studio, and the Stax Museum. The Memphis Area Transit Authority provides bus service, with board members appointed by the mayor. The housing market in the school’s zip code reflects home values and rents that are both below national medians and have been declining slightly year over year, which may make the area somewhat more accessible for buyers or renters than pricier parts of the region.
The district itself, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, faced questions in recent years regarding school closures and a property tax referendum, according to publicly reported searches, but specific outcomes or plans were not available in the data provided for this profile. Families are advised to look into current district changes that could affect attendance boundaries or school operations.
Overall, Hanley K-8 serves a predominantly Black, pre-K through eighth-grade population in a midtown Memphis neighborhood where housing is moderately priced. Its academic proficiency rates are low relative to county peers, and data on several operational and support dimensions is absent from this profile. The school’s setting offers access to the city’s cultural and recreational amenities. For families who prioritize a close-to-home neighborhood school serving a wide age span, Hanley provides that structure, but those focused on academic outcomes as measured by state tests will want to investigate the school’s intervention strategies and support programs further.
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