Idlewild Elementary vs Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus

Idlewild Elementary and Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus sit 8.7 miles apart in Memphis yet land within a single point of each other overall — Idlewild at 9.1/10 and Compass Hickory Hill at 9.2/10. The state rank gap is more telling: Compass Hickory Hill places #33 of 1,785 Tennessee schools, while Idlewild places #46 of 1,785 — both elite positions, but Compass Hickory Hill holds a 13-spot edge in a field of nearly 1,800.

The academic and growth scores pull in opposite directions. Idlewild Elementary scores a 9.7/10 in academics versus Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus's 7.4/10 — a 2.3-point gap that reflects stronger raw proficiency at Idlewild. Compass Hickory Hill counters with a perfect 10.0/10 growth score against Idlewild's 9.0/10, meaning students at Compass are outpacing academic-progress expectations at the highest measured rate in the state. Families weighing current achievement levels against year-over-year momentum will find these two schools pulling in genuinely different directions.

The schools differ sharply in size and staffing. Idlewild Elementary enrolls 588 students at a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio. Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus serves 254 students — less than half the enrollment — at a 12.7:1 ratio, meaning roughly three fewer students per teacher. For families who prioritize smaller classrooms and more individualized attention, the structural difference is concrete. Compass is also a charter school operating under a distinct governance model, while Idlewild is a traditional public school.

One practical distinction worth noting for families planning beyond fifth grade: Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus serves grades KG–08, so students can remain through middle school without a transition. Idlewild Elementary covers KG–05 only, requiring a school change after fifth grade. For families wanting to avoid a middle-school search for several years, Compass Hickory Hill's extended grade span reduces that logistical burden by three years.