Best Middle Schools in Memphis, TN (2025-26)
Every ranked middle school in Memphis, TN, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.
Memphis, TN rankings: High Schools · Middle Schools · Elementary Schools
Memphis, TN middle schools ranked
How Memphis, TN's middle schools compare
A: 2B: 1C: 2D: 18F: 8
10% of the 31 ranked middle schools in Memphis, TN earn an A or B (2 A grades, 1 B, 2 C, 18 D, 8 F), against 46% of middle schools nationwide. 30 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (97% here, 70% nationally), and 21 exceed it. On average 22% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 11% (national averages: 45% actual, 38% projected).
The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Maxine Smith Steam Academy (80% against 32%, A+), Grandview Heights Middle School (41% against 7%, B-), Sherwood Middle (35% against 10%, C+), Memphis Grizzlies Preparatory Charter School (32% against 10%, C), Power Center Academy Middle (25% against 8%, D+).
Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 10): Memphis-Shelby County Schools (10).
The largest ranked middle schools: White Station Middle (1,099 students, A-, #2), Kate Bond Middle School (1,009 students, D-, #20), Colonial Middle (1,000 students, D+, #6).
Of the top 25, 5 are magnet schools and 8 are charters. Selective and specialised schools tend to post high actual scores; the projection column is the fairer comparison for a neighborhood school.
Middle schools in Memphis, TN that are not ranked
5 graded middle schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.
Not yet graded (5)
Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.
- Humes Preparatory Academy Middle School, Memphis
- Kipp Memphis Academy Middle, Memphis
- Memphis Scholars Raleigh Egypt, Memphis
- University Middle, Memphis
- Westside Middle School, Memphis
About this ranking
- Scope: public middle schools in Memphis, TN, as grouped on its schools page; the Tennessee ranking covers the whole state.
- Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
- Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
- Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the middle schools.
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works
Questions about middle schools in Memphis, TN
What is the best middle school in Memphis, TN?
Maxine Smith Steam Academy in Memphis ranks first among the 31 ranked middle schools in Memphis, TN with a SchoolGrade of A+, 80% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 32%.
How are middle schools in Memphis, TN ranked?
By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.
How many middle schools does Memphis, TN have?
SchoolGrade grades 36 public middle schools in Memphis, TN; 31 are ranked here and 5 are listed as not ranked.