Memphis STEM Academy vs Leadership Preparatory Charter School

Memphis STEM Academy and Leadership Preparatory Charter School both rank in the top 2.5% of Tennessee's 1,785 schools, but Memphis STEM Academy holds the edge at #7 statewide versus Leadership Preparatory Charter School at #42. That translates to an overall rating gap of 0.5 points — 9.5/10 for Memphis STEM Academy against 9.0/10 for Leadership Preparatory Charter School — a meaningful separation at the top of the distribution where schools cluster tightly.

On academic proficiency, Memphis STEM Academy scores 8.8/10 compared to Leadership Preparatory Charter School's 7.9/10, a 0.9-point delta that reflects a real difference in tested achievement levels. Growth tells a different story: Leadership Preparatory Charter School posts a 10.0/10 growth score versus Memphis STEM Academy's 9.9/10, meaning both schools accelerate students at near-identical elite rates regardless of where they start. Parents weighing current proficiency levels against student trajectory will find both schools performing at the ceiling on growth, with Memphis STEM Academy carrying the higher academic floor.

Memphis STEM Academy enrolls 243 students across PK–05 at a student-teacher ratio of 13.5:1. Leadership Preparatory Charter School serves 437 students — nearly double the enrollment — at a ratio of 15.1:1. The 1.6-student-per-teacher difference is modest, but Memphis STEM Academy's smaller school population typically means tighter community cohesion, more staff familiarity with individual students, and a quieter campus environment. Families who prioritize a more intimate setting will find it at Memphis STEM Academy; those comfortable with a larger school gain access to broader peer diversity.

Grade span is the sharpest structural difference between the two. Memphis STEM Academy serves PK through 5th grade, requiring a school transition after elementary. Leadership Preparatory Charter School runs KG through 8th grade, keeping students in a single building through middle school. Families who want to minimize school transitions — or who value a continuous academic culture across the elementary-to-middle bridge — gain a tangible logistical advantage at Leadership Preparatory Charter School. The two schools are 10.0 miles apart within Memphis, making direct comparison practical for families across a wide stretch of the city.