Wells Station Elementary vs Southwind Elementary

Wells Station Elementary holds a 9.3/10 overall rating against Southwind Elementary's 9.1/10 — a 0.2-point gap that understates the real positional difference between them. In Tennessee's 1,785-school field, Wells Station Elementary ranks #21 while Southwind Elementary ranks #49, meaning both schools sit in the top 3% statewide but Wells Station claims a meaningfully higher position among that elite tier.

The academic and growth numbers tell two different stories depending on what a family prioritizes. Southwind Elementary leads on academic score by a substantial margin — 9.2/10 versus Wells Station Elementary's 8.3/10 — suggesting stronger raw proficiency outcomes. Wells Station, however, edges ahead on growth: 9.8/10 to Southwind's 9.5/10, indicating it accelerates student progress at a slightly higher rate. Families focused on where students finish should weigh Southwind's academic edge; families focused on how much students gain year-over-year should note Wells Station's superior growth score.

The clearest structural difference between the two schools is student-teacher ratio. Wells Station Elementary runs at 12.7 students per teacher versus Southwind Elementary's 16.1:1 — a gap of 3.4 students per teacher that translates directly to more individual attention per child at Wells Station. Enrollment is similar: Wells Station serves 633 students and Southwind serves 661, so the ratio difference reflects staffing levels rather than school size. Both schools serve grades PK through 5, so neither offers an earlier or later entry point.

The two campuses sit 12.5 miles apart within Memphis, making this a deliberate choice rather than a proximity default. Wells Station Elementary and Southwind Elementary serve the same grade band and both rank among Tennessee's top 50 elementary schools out of 1,785 — the decision comes down to whether a family weights classroom access and growth trajectory or peak academic proficiency.