City University School of Liberal Arts, 1475 E. Shelby Drive: grades 9-12, 179 students in 2024-25, state letter grade C.
Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Sources: City University School of Liberal Arts, Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ charter schools page, the Tennessee Department of Education’s State Report Card, 2024-25 letter grade and school profile files and spring 2026 test file, and the federal NCES school directory.
City University School of Liberal Arts is a public charter school serving ninth grade through 12th grade in Memphis. The state lists it among the schools of Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS), which authorizes charter schools in the county; it is run by City University Schools. Charter schools are tuition-free public schools with no attendance zones: families apply, and admission works as described below.
- Address: 1475 E. Shelby Drive, Memphis, TN 38116
- Main office: 901-775-2219
- Grades: 9-12
- Website: www.cityuniversityschool.org
Who to call
- Front office: 901-775-2219
- Applying: the school’s enrollment page
- Charter schools in MSCS: the district’s charter schools page
Enrollment
The federal NCES directory counted 201 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, about 13 students per teacher. The Tennessee Department of Education’s 2024-25 school profile file has a newer count of 179 students.
State report card
Tennessee grades every public school A to F. The department says School Letter Grades give “a snapshot of how each school in the state is performing, including student achievement and academic growth measures for all schools, as well as a measure of college and career readiness just for high schools.”
From the state’s 2024-25 letter grade file, 2025 graduation rate file and 2024-25 ACT file:
| Measure | City University School of Liberal Arts |
|---|---|
| Overall letter grade, 2024-25 | C (score 2.5 of 5) |
| Achievement grade | D |
| Academic growth grade | C |
| Growth of the lowest-scoring 25% of students | B |
| College and career readiness grade | D |
| Overall success rate on state tests, 2024-25 | 15% |
| College and career readiness rate, 2024-25 | 32.4% |
| Graduation rate, class of 2025 | 78.4% (29 of 37 students) |
| Average ACT composite, 2024-25 | 16.4 (29 students tested) |
The state’s spring 2026 test file has the share of City University School of Liberal Arts students who met or exceeded expectations on each end-of-course exam: English I 6.7%, English II 22%, Algebra I under 5%, Algebra II under 5%, Geometry 13.7%, Biology 20.5% and U.S. History 14%. The 2025-26 letter grades have not been published yet.
The State Report Card page for City University School of Liberal Arts holds the full detail: results by grade and subject, chronic absenteeism and results for each group of students.
How admission works
As a public charter school, City University School of Liberal Arts has no attendance zone. City University Schools says that when applications submitted during its open enrollment period exceed the seats in a grade, “a system-generated, random lottery will be processed to determine who is offered a seat.” Details are on the school’s enrollment page.
Calendar and school hours
Charter schools set their own calendars and daily schedules. Check the school’s website or call the front office for break dates and bell times.
Sports and activities
City University School of Liberal Arts competes in the TSSAA, the state high school athletic association. Its boys basketball team is in Class 1A, Region 8, District 16. For game nights, see our Friday night football guide and the scoreboard.
More
- The school’s own site: www.cityuniversityschool.org
- The district’s charter schools page and the state’s report card for City University School of Liberal Arts
- Every public school in the city: Memphis public schools
- Calendars, enrollment and the school board: our Memphis schools guide
Frequently asked questions
What grades does City University School of Liberal Arts serve?
Ninth grade through 12th grade. The school is at 1475 E. Shelby Drive in Memphis; the main office number is 901-775-2219.
What is City University School of Liberal Arts’s state report card grade?
City University School of Liberal Arts received a C overall in Tennessee’s 2024-25 School Letter Grades, according to the Tennessee Department of Education.
How do I apply to City University School of Liberal Arts?
City University Schools says that when applications submitted during its open enrollment period exceed the seats in a grade, ‘a system-generated, random lottery will be processed to determine who is offered a seat.’
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