Memphis STEM Academy vs Compass Community School Frayser Campus

Memphis STEM Academy and Compass Community School Frayser Campus sit 1.8 miles apart in Memphis, Tennessee, yet occupy very different positions in the state rankings. Memphis STEM Academy holds the #7 spot out of 1,785 Tennessee schools while Compass Community School Frayser Campus ranks #74 — a meaningful gap at the top of the distribution, though both schools clear the state's top 5% threshold. The overall rating difference is 0.7 points, with Memphis STEM Academy scoring 9.5/10 against Compass Community's 8.8/10, reflecting a real academic performance delta rather than a marginal rounding difference.

The sharpest contrast between the two schools is in academic proficiency. Memphis STEM Academy scores 8.8/10 on academic achievement while Compass Community School Frayser Campus scores 6.2/10 — a 2.6-point gap that signals meaningfully higher current test performance at STEM Academy. That said, growth tells a different story entirely: both schools score a perfect 9.9/10 on student growth, meaning children at either campus are advancing at an exceptional rate relative to peers with similar starting points. Families prioritizing current proficiency levels will favor Memphis STEM Academy; those weighing trajectory and gains will find both schools equally strong.

Memphis STEM Academy enrolls 243 students across PK–05 with a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio, while Compass Community School Frayser Campus serves 204 students at a 12.0:1 ratio. The slightly smaller ratio at Compass Community translates to roughly one fewer student per classroom on average, which can matter for families who prioritize individualized attention. Both campuses are relatively small by Memphis standards, keeping the overall environment accessible for elementary-age children.

The grade range distinction is the most practical structural difference: Memphis STEM Academy serves prekindergarten through fifth grade, while Compass Community School Frayser Campus extends through eighth grade. A family enrolling a kindergartner at Compass Community can keep that child at the same campus through middle school, avoiding a transition during the critical 6th–8th grade years. Memphis STEM Academy families will need to identify a separate middle school placement after fifth grade.