Wells Station Elementary vs Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus
Wells Station Elementary and Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus are very closely rated, both scoring around 9.3 out of 10. Wells Station Elementary is significantly larger with 633 students, about 2.5× the size of Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus (254). In math proficiency, Wells Station Elementary leads at 24.0%.
Wells Station Elementary
Memphis, TN
633 students
Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus
Memphis, TN
254 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Wells Station Elementary | Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.3 / 10 | 9.2 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.3 | 7.4 |
| Growth Score | 9.8 | 10.0 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Environment Score | 9.7 | 9.7 |
| State Rank | #17 of 1,785 | #26 of 1,785 |
| State Percentile | 99th | 99th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Wells Station Elementary | Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 24.0% | 12.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 18.0% | 12.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Wells Station Elementary | Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Pre-K – 5th | Kindergarten – 8th |
| Enrollment | 633 | 254 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 12.7:1 | 12.7:1 |
| Per-Pupil Spending | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | — | — |
| Chronic Absenteeism | — | — |
| District | Memphis-Shelby County Schools | Memphis-Shelby County Schools |
| City | Memphis | Memphis |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Memphis (38108) | Memphis (38115) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $35,435 | $42,931 |
| Median Home Value | $62,600 | $129,700 |
| Median Rent | $921 | $1,129 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 10.6% | 14.3% |
| Poverty Rate | 28.0% | 19.5% |
| Avg Commute | 24 min | 20 min |
The data story: Wells Station Elementary vs Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus
Wells Station Elementary and Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus both rank among Tennessee's top schools, separated by just 0.1 points overall — Wells Station at 9.3/10 (#17 of 1785 statewide) and Compass Community Hickory Hill at 9.2/10 (#26 of 1785). Both schools sit in the top 1.5% of all Tennessee schools, so the difference in prestige is negligible. The 8.8-mile distance between them makes the choice primarily a fit question, not a quality question.
Academically, Wells Station Elementary holds a meaningful edge, scoring 8.3/10 versus Compass Community Hickory Hill's 7.4/10 — a gap of 0.9 points on academic achievement alone. Compass Community Hickory Hill counters with a near-perfect growth score of 10.0/10, edging Wells Station's already strong 9.8/10. That growth margin signals that Compass Community Hickory Hill is especially effective at accelerating student progress from wherever they start, while Wells Station Elementary posts higher raw achievement levels overall.
Enrollment tells a sharply different story: Wells Station Elementary serves 633 students versus Compass Community Hickory Hill's 254. Despite that size difference, both schools share an identical student-teacher ratio of 12.7:1, so classroom attention per student is equivalent. Families who prefer a smaller-school feel — fewer hallways of unfamiliar faces, tighter community ties — will find that at Compass Community Hickory Hill without sacrificing instructional bandwidth.
The most practical structural difference is grade span and school type. Wells Station Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through 5th grade, meaning families will need a separate middle school plan by 6th grade. Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus is a charter school running kindergarten through 8th grade, offering a single-campus path through middle school. That continuity eliminates one transition and one school search for families who enroll in kindergarten.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Wells Station Elementary
Wells Station Elementary suits families prioritizing the highest raw academic achievement scores and who want a traditional public school with a PreK entry point — particularly useful for parents seeking early enrollment. Its larger campus of 633 students fits families comfortable in a more conventional school environment and who are prepared to choose a separate middle school after 5th grade.
Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus
Compass Community School Hickory Hill Campus fits families who want a smaller, charter school environment with exceptional student growth and the convenience of a single campus from kindergarten through 8th grade. Its 254-student enrollment and 10.0/10 growth score make it a strong match for parents whose child needs accelerated progress and who value fewer school transitions over the next nine years.