In early 2018, the Diocese of Memphis announced the closing of 10 schools throughout the City of Memphis, leaving over 1700 students and 200 employees without a school to call home. With little time to spare, a group of like-minded educators in Memphis came forward to provide a solution. They would form New Day Charter Schools and apply for a charter with Shelby County Schools.
In September of 2018, a total of six charters were granted, and Compass Community Schools were formed. In July of 2019, Compass opened six campuses, all located in the urban Memphis areas of Berclair, Binghampton, Frayser, Hickory Hill, Midtown, and Orange Mound. Our schools are intentionally small, serving approximately 230 students at each elementary campus. We believe in educating the whole child, focusing on three pillars of study: Academic Excellence, Character Education, and Service Learning.
Compass opened its doors in July 2019 to welcome all students and diversity in all forms: cognitive, cultural, ethnic, gender, racial, residency status, and socioeconomic status. Today, Compass serves over 1450 students throughout our six campuses. Our student population is diverse. The majority of our student body consists of Latino and African American students. 67% of our students come from homes where English is not the primary language. Economically, we are not so diverse. In Memphis, where 45% of all children live in poverty, 95% of our families are from the urban Memphis area, and 77% are from zip codes with the lowest median household income (below $42,100) in Shelby County. Additionally, 35% of Compass students receive English language services (ELL), and another 9% receive special education services (SPED).