Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS vs Newberry Elementary

Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS holds a slight overall edge over Newberry Elementary — 9.4 versus 9.2 out of 10 — but both schools rank in the top 25 of 1,785 Tennessee schools. Ida B. Wells Academy sits at #11 statewide, while Newberry Elementary lands at #24, placing both well clear of the vast majority of Memphis-area options. For families agonizing over this choice, the 0.2-point overall gap is real but narrow; the more meaningful differences show up in academics, growth trajectory, classroom size, and grade span.

On academics, Newberry Elementary leads with an 8.8 academic score versus Ida B. Wells Academy's 8.4 — a 0.4-point delta that suggests stronger measured proficiency outcomes at Newberry. Growth tells a different story: Ida B. Wells Academy posts a 9.8 growth score against Newberry's 9.7, an essentially identical showing that confirms both schools are pushing students forward at an exceptional pace relative to Tennessee peers. Neither school lags on growth; the academic gap is the more distinguishing number between them.

The enrollment and staffing picture separates these schools sharply. Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS enrolls 98 students with a 6.1:1 student-teacher ratio — one of the lowest ratios you will find at a public school anywhere in Tennessee. Newberry Elementary serves 378 students at a 15.1:1 ratio, which is closer to a conventional district average. That 9-point ratio difference means Ida B. Wells students receive substantially more individualized adult attention in the classroom, while Newberry's larger enrollment supports a fuller range of grade-level cohorts, peer interaction, and extracurricular depth.

Grade span is a decisive structural factor 10.4 miles separates these campuses. Ida B. Wells Academy ES/MS runs KG through grade 8, meaning families who enroll in kindergarten can stay through middle school without a transition. Newberry Elementary serves PK through grade 5, offering pre-kindergarten access that Ida B. Wells does not, but requiring families to identify a separate middle school when students finish fifth grade.