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Power Center Academy Elementary School vs Memphis STEM Academy

Memphis STEM Academy has a higher overall rating of 9.5/10 compared to 8.7/10. Power Center Academy Elementary School is significantly larger with 712 students, about 2.9× the size of Memphis STEM Academy (243). In math proficiency, Memphis STEM Academy leads at 34.5%.

Ratings Comparison

Metric Power Center Academy Elementary School Memphis STEM Academy
Overall Rating 8.7 / 10 9.5 / 10
Academic Score 7.0 8.8
Growth Score 9.8 9.9
Diversity Index
Free/Reduced Lunch 0.3% 0.3%
Environment Score 8.6 9.5
State Rank #87 of 1,785 #7 of 1,785
State Percentile 95th 100th

Test Scores

Subject Power Center Academy Elementary School Memphis STEM Academy
Math Proficiency 16.0% 34.5%
Math (State Avg)
ELA Proficiency 8.0% 15.0%
ELA (State Avg)

School Details

Detail Power Center Academy Elementary School Memphis STEM Academy
Type Elementary School Elementary School
Grades Kindergarten – 5th Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment 712 243
Student-Teacher Ratio 14.8:1 13.5:1
Per-Pupil Spending
Free/Reduced Lunch
Chronic Absenteeism
District Memphis-Shelby County Schools Memphis-Shelby County Schools
City Memphis Memphis

Neighborhood

Metric Memphis (38115) Memphis (38127)
Median Household Income $42,931 $37,768
Median Home Value $129,700 $82,500
Median Rent $1,129 $1,104
College Educated (Bachelor's+) 14.3% 11.4%
Poverty Rate 19.5% 34.7%
Avg Commute 20 min 22 min

The data story: Power Center Academy Elementary School vs Memphis STEM Academy

Memphis STEM Academy carries a 9.3/10 overall rating against Power Center Academy Elementary School's 8.2/10 — a 1.1-point gap that widens considerably once state rank context enters the picture. Memphis STEM Academy sits at #22 of 1,785 Tennessee schools, a top-2-percent position statewide. Power Center Academy Elementary School ranks #230 of the same 1,785, a creditable result but one that trails Memphis STEM by more than 200 positions. Both schools share the same city, separated by 13.0 miles, so the rating difference is a real signal, not a geographic footnote.

The academic score explains most of the overall gap. Memphis STEM Academy posts an 8.8/10 academic rating; Power Center Academy Elementary School posts a 7.0/10 — a 1.8-point spread that reflects measurable differences in tested proficiency. Growth nearly closes any concern about trajectory: Power Center Academy Elementary School scores 9.8/10 on growth, and Memphis STEM Academy scores 9.9/10. Both figures place both schools among Tennessee's strongest movers, meaning students at each school are advancing quickly relative to comparable peers. Parents who care most about where their child tests in absolute terms will favor Memphis STEM Academy; parents focused on momentum and catch-up gains will find Power Center Academy Elementary School's near-identical growth rate a compelling counterweight.

Power Center Academy Elementary School enrolls 712 students, nearly three times Memphis STEM Academy's 243. That size difference surfaces in the student-teacher ratio: Memphis STEM Academy holds a 13.5:1 ratio versus Power Center Academy Elementary School's 14.8:1. The 1.3-student-per-teacher gap is modest but consistent with the smaller school's overall profile. Families who prize intimate classroom environments and the closer teacher contact that tends to follow will find Memphis STEM Academy's structure a more favorable match.

Memphis STEM Academy serves pre-K through 5th grade, giving families an entry point one year earlier than Power Center Academy Elementary School, which begins at Kindergarten. That single grade can matter for families seeking one continuous school home from age four through the end of elementary. The STEM designation further signals a structured curricular focus on science, technology, engineering, and math — a programmatic commitment that Power Center Academy Elementary School, operating as a generalist elementary, does not carry.

Editorial summary generated May 2026 · sonnet

Who each school fits

Power Center Academy Elementary School

Power Center Academy Elementary School suits families whose child enters elementary below grade level and needs strong academic momentum. Its 9.8/10 growth score — one tenth of a point below Memphis STEM Academy's 9.9 — signals a school built to accelerate students from wherever they start. The larger 712-student enrollment also appeals to families who want broader peer diversity and extracurricular range within a traditional elementary setting.

Memphis STEM Academy

Memphis STEM Academy is the stronger fit for families prioritizing outright academic performance and a structured STEM focus from an early age. Its #22 statewide rank, 8.8/10 academic score, and pre-K entry point make it the right choice for families who want to start early and keep a child in one of Tennessee's top-finishing schools through 5th grade. The 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio reinforces the case for families who want close, consistent teacher contact in a smaller building.

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