Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS vs Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary

Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS and Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary sit at nearly identical heights in Tennessee's rankings — #11 and #12 respectively out of 1,785 schools statewide — and both carry an overall rating of 9.4/10. These two Memphis schools are separated by just one position in the state and 10.4 miles on the ground, making the choice between them a study in meaningful differences beneath the surface-level tie.

Academically, Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary holds the edge, scoring 9.2/10 versus Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS at 8.4/10 — a 0.8-point gap that reflects stronger current proficiency levels. Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS counters with a growth score of 9.8/10 compared to Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary's 9.3/10, meaning students at Ida B. Wells are advancing at a faster rate relative to expectations. Families weighing where students are performing today against how quickly they are progressing will find a genuine trade-off between these two numbers.

The structural differences between the two schools are substantial. Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS enrolls just 98 students and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 6.1:1, roughly half the 12.3:1 ratio at Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary, which serves 271 students. That smaller footprint translates to significantly more individual adult attention per child — a concrete operational difference, not a marketing claim. Balmoral/Ridgeway's larger enrollment also suggests a broader peer community and likely a wider range of extracurricular offerings within the elementary setting.

The grade span is perhaps the most practical distinction for long-term planning. Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS runs from kindergarten through grade 8, keeping students in a single building through middle school and avoiding a transition at a critical developmental stage. Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary serves only kindergarten through grade 5, meaning families will navigate a school change before their child reaches sixth grade. For parents who value continuity and want to minimize school transitions during the elementary and middle years, that KG–08 span at Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS is a meaningful structural advantage.