Memphis, Tennessee – The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) released graduation rates for the 2023-2024 school year showing Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) increased by 1.9 percentage points from 81.5% to 83.4%, outpacing the state’s growth of 1.5% over the same period. The federal graduation rate (used for federal accountability) increased from 80.1% in 2022-2023 to 82.8% in 2023-2024, reflecting a 2.7 percentage increase. The District’s increase marks the third consecutive year of improvement in the state and federal graduation rate and the highest graduation rate in more than a decade.
“I am incredibly proud of our students and their focus, especially in the face of challenges. This increase in our graduation rate is a testament to their hard work and the relentless commitment of our campus teams and district leadership,” said Dr. Marie N. Feagins, Superintendent of MSCS. “We will continue to build on this momentum by providing each of our future alumni with the resources, access, and learning experience needed to thrive in any arena at their next level of success.”
The 1.9% increase in the graduation rate for the 2023-2024 school year represents progress made by most traditionally disadvantaged subgroups with the most noticeable change experienced by Multilingual Learners as their state rate increased from 56.9% in 2023 to 69.8% in 2024, reflecting a 12.9% increase.
| | State Grad Rates | Federal Grad Rates |
| Student Group | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Black/Hispanic/ Native American | 81.5 | 83.5 | 80.0 | 82.9 |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 79.7 | 81.1 | 78.4 | 80.5 |
| English Learners with Transitional 1-4 | 56.9 | 69.8 | 53.9 | 68.7 |
| Students with Disabilities | 78.2 | 73.6 | 69.8 | 69.4 |
A total of 22 schools increased their state graduation rate by at least one percentage point from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024. Sheffield High and City University School of Liberal Arts increased their state and federal graduation rates by double digits.
Charter | School Name | State Grad Rates |
| |
22-23 | 23-24 | Change from 23 to 24 |
| | Sheffield High | 57.1 | 68.9 | 11.8 |
YES | City University School of Liberal Arts | 80.8 | 91.1 | 10.3 |
| | Wooddale High | 63.8 | 73.1 | 9.3 |
| | Southwind High | 84.8 | 92.9 | 8.1 |
| | Overton High | 76.0 | 83.5 | 7.5 |
| | Trezevant High | 70.1 | 77.2 | 7.1 |
| | Kirby High | 78.5 | 84.2 | 5.7 |
YES | Compass Community, Midtown | 82.8 | 88.4 | 5.6 |
| | Raleigh-Egypt High | 80.6 | 85.9 | 5.3 |
| | Memphis Virtual School | 77.9 | 82.9 | 5.0 |
| | Westwood High | 80.0 | 84.9 | 4.9 |
| | Melrose High | 65.9 | 70.4 | 4.5 |
| | Middle College High | 95.9 | 100.0 | 4.1 |
YES | Freedom Prep Academy Flagship | 72.6 | 76.2 | 3.6 |
| | Cordova High School | 87.7 | 91.2 | 3.5 |
| | Invictus Academy at Airways | 68.9 | 72.0 | 3.1 |
| | Kingsbury High | 69.4 | 72.2 | 2.8 |
YES | Crosstown High School | 93.9 | 96.5 | 2.6 |
YES | Memphis School of Excellence | 96.6 | 98.6 | 2.0 |
| | East High | 98.3 | 100.0 | 1.7 |
| | Craigmont High | 84.1 | 85.3 | 1.2 |
YES | Soulsville Charter School | 91.8 | 93.0 | 1.2 |
A total of 25 schools met their federal Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) in 2024. Of these schools, 22 met their Double AMO.
“This accomplishment marks another step forward in our District’s commitment to providing every student with a high-quality education and the skills necessary for success beyond high school,” said Joyce Dorse Coleman, MSCS Board Chair. “We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of students, families, teachers, and district staff”.
As the largest school district in the state, Memphis-Shelby County Schools serves 111,074 students across 217 schools, on a bold mission to become an exemplar for the state and a model for the nation in education transformation.