The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Social studies. The lowest is 31% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Libertas
Libertas is a public charter elementary school in Memphis, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates under the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, a state-level authorizer that has grown its portfolio across several counties in recent years. As a charter school, Libertas is publicly funded and free to attend, but operates with a degree of autonomy from the local school district, offering families a publicly supported alternative within the Memphis area.
The school’s enrollment is large for an elementary campus, drawing a student body that is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of white students, a modest Hispanic population, and very small numbers of Asian and multiracial students. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and on those receiving special education services or English language support, was not available in the record, so a reader cannot assess the school’s poverty or support-service profile from this data alone.
On state assessments, Libertas’s proficiency rates sit well below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Shelby County. In math, about a third of students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, the rate was close to that same level, and in science it was similar. Social studies, tested in a narrower grade range than the other subjects, showed a higher share of students meeting the bar, though still below a majority. Taken together, the school’s overall academic performance on these state tests fell in the bottom quartile among its county peers. This is a soft spot a parent will want to look into further with the school, particularly to understand what academic interventions and supports are in place.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no high-school-level metrics such as college readiness or career pathways. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were also absent from the record.
Housing in the surrounding ZIP code is affordable relative to national and state benchmarks. Home values are well below the Tennessee median, and rents are similarly modest. A parent considering a move to the area should note that home values in this part of Memphis have seen a year-over-year decline, a dynamic worth investigating for its implications for neighborhood stability and school investment.
Memphis itself is a city rich in cultural institutions, from the National Civil Rights Museum and Graceland to the Memphis Zoo in Overton Park. The city’s riverfront underwent a major renovation in recent years, and large public parks such as Shelby Farms offer recreation. The Memphis Area Transit Authority provides public bus service. This broader urban environment shapes the context for any school in Memphis, including Libertas, though the school’s immediate neighborhood characteristics are not detailed in the available data.
The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, as the authorizing body, has expanded the number of schools under its oversight in recent years, opening new campuses in the Memphis, Nashville, and Murfreesboro areas. This means Libertas sits within a growing network of charter options, though its own academic record is softer than many of those peers. The school’s offerings were not detailed in the record, so a reader does not know what enrichment or specialized programs exist beyond the core curriculum.
For a family weighing this choice, Libertas offers a large elementary setting within the public charter system, with a student body that is diverse in race and ethnicity. The affordability of housing in the area is a concrete advantage. The academic results, however, are a clear concern, and without data on student support services, discipline, or attendance, a full picture is hard to draw. A parent would be wise to visit the school, ask about instructional strategies for struggling students, and understand how the school intends to move its proficiency rates closer to the county average.
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