Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Summary:

Bush Hills STEAM Academy is a public middle school in Birmingham, Alabama, serving 433 students in grades 6-8. The school has a predominantly African American student population, with over 93% of students identifying as African American.

Despite the school's focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, Bush Hills STEAM Academy consistently ranks among the lowest-performing middle schools in Alabama, with statewide rankings between 377 and 430 out of 432-442 middle schools over the past 10 years. The school's performance on state assessments is significantly below the state and Birmingham City averages across all grade levels and subject areas. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students from low-income families, with over 91% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which is significantly higher than the state and district averages.

In contrast to Bush Hills STEAM Academy, some nearby schools, such as Mountain Brook Junior High School and Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School, are among the top-performing middle schools in the state, with high proficiency rates and statewide rankings in the top 10. This stark contrast suggests that factors beyond just funding and resources, such as school leadership, curriculum, and instructional practices, may play a crucial role in driving student success.

Detail:

Public 6-8

900 16th Street West
Birmingham, AL 35208

(205) 231-6370

District: Birmingham City

SchoolDigger Rank:
429^th of 442 Alabama Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,712

Students who attend Bush Hills STEAM Academy usually attend:

High:

JacksonOlin High School

Feeder schools for Bush Hills STEAM Academy:

Elementary:	Minor Elementary School
	Wylam Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.6

Number of students: 433

Racial breakdown:

African American:

93.3%

Hispanic:

4.8%

Two or more races:

1.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 91.9%

See top rated Alabama middle schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Bush Hills STEAM Academy is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2019 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.33. (See more...)

Compare Details Bush Hills STEAM Academy ranks worse than 97.1% of middle schools in Alabama. It also ranks 6^th among 8 ranked middle schools in the Birmingham City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.47. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (93.3%), Hispanic (4.8%), two or more races (1.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 91.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bush Hills STEAM Academy is 19.6. 4 middle schools in the Birmingham City School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Bush Hills STEAM Academy employs 22 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bush Hills STEAM Academy is $19,712, which is the highest among 8 middle schools in the Birmingham City School District!

Schooldigger 2019 Rankings:

Bush Hills STEAM Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Bush Hills STEAM Academy 429^th of 442 Alabama public middle schools. (See Bush Hills STEAM Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Birmingham City:

SchoolDigger ranks Birmingham City 117^th of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Bush Hills STEAM Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2014	24.18	555^th	695	20.1%
2015	7.91	672^nd	691	2.7%
2016	12.33	625^th	691	9.6%
2017	6.87	672^nd	688	2.3%
2018	3.37	677^th	680	0.4%
2019	4.33	676^th	681	0.7%

See the entire list of Alabama Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Bush Hills STEAM Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2014	12.72	390^th	438	11.0%
2015	11.67	389^th	430	9.5%
2016	12.51	378^th	432	12.5%
2017	12.12	377^th	432	12.7%
2018	6.93	402^nd	423	5.0%
2019	4.76	430^th	437	1.6%
2021	10.66	418^th	440	5.0%
2022	8.96	418^th	432	3.2%
2023	10.98	405^th	437	7.3%
2024	8.47	429^th	442	2.9%

See the entire list of Alabama Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2018	18.49	210^th	223	5.8%
2019	16.07	239^th	254	5.9%
2021	27.53	222^nd	274	19.0%
2022	18.19	247^th	256	3.5%
2023	18.17	272^nd	281	3.2%
2024	21.78	260^th	281	7.5%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	11.93	321^st	349	8.0%
2018	6.89	385^th	396	2.8%
2019	6.82	386^th	396	2.5%
2021	12.60	403^rd	415	2.9%
2022	11.93	404^th	421	4.0%
2023	17.63	364^th	410	11.2%
2024	10.56	421^st	437	3.7%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	20.59	313^th	380	17.6%
2018	11.13	349^th	392	11.0%
2019	8.74	374^th	399	6.3%
2021	13.15	377^th	415	9.2%
2022	8.42	416^th	423	1.7%
2023	12.89	376^th	417	9.8%
2024	8.43	417^th	426	2.1%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	7.76	366^th	380	3.7%
2018	5.76	391^st	397	1.5%
2019	4.13	396^th	399	0.8%
2021	10.26	408^th	418	2.4%
2022	10.92	399^th	427	6.6%
2023	10.62	395^th	419	5.7%
2024	10.02	408^th	428	4.7%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile
2018	18.64	226^th	247	8.5%
2019	13.99	243^rd	252	3.6%
2021	22.20	232^nd	266	12.8%
2022	19.73	250^th	271	7.7%
2023	24.38	221^st	263	16.0%
2024	18.49	254^th	269	5.6%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	23.70	134^th	166	19.3%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Bush Hills STEAM Academy

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	1	508	6	0	0	0	515
2014	4	514	7	0	1	0	526
2015	4	472	7	0	0	4	487
2016	2	495	9	0	0	1	507
2017	3	439	8	1	0	2	453
2018	4	459	13	0	0	0	476
2019	4	488	14	0	2	6	514
2020	1	429	22	0	0	6	458
2021	0	434	21	0	0	3	458
2022	2	438	19	0	0	2	461
2023	1	404	21	0	0	7	433

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	515	34.0	15.1	92.6
2014	526	24.0	21.9	89.4
2015	487	26.0	18.7	70.2
2016	507	26.0	19.5	65.7
2017	453	26.0	17.4	71.3
2018	476	30.0	15.8	85.3
2019	514	28.0	18.3	89.1
2020	458	25.0	18.3	91.9
2021	458	24.0	19.0	91.9
2022	461	17.0	27.1	91.8
2023	433	22.0	19.6	91.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Bush Hills STEAM Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	515	34.0	15.1	92.6
2014	526	24.0	21.9	89.4
2015	487	26.0	18.7	70.2
2016	507	26.0	19.5	65.7
2017	453	26.0	17.4	71.3
2018	476	30.0	15.8	85.3
2019	514	28.0	18.3	89.1
2020	458	25.0	18.3	91.9
2021	458	24.0	19.0	91.9
2022	461	17.0	27.1	91.8
2023	433	22.0	19.6	91.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,930 (9.8%)	$17,781 (90.2%)	$19,712

Data source: Alabama Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bush Hills STEAM Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 430^th of 437 Middle schools	Ranks 405^th of 437 Middle schools	5.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Bush Hills STEAM Academy)	7.3	5.5	1.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Birmingham City)	21.3	12.7	8.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	45.3	30.8	14.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Bush Hills STEAM Academy)	1.2	0	1.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Birmingham City)	16.5	11.6	4.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	43.1	21	22.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Bush Hills STEAM Academy)	6.5	1.9	4.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Birmingham City)	16.5	7	9.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	44.7	21.1	23.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	514	433	15.8%
African American	488	404	17.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	14	21	50%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	4	1	75%
Two or More Races	6	7	16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	89.1%	91.9%	2.8%

Schools Near Bush Hills STEAM Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2024)				Summative Assessment Science (2024)	Summative Assessment English (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bush Hills STEAM Academy	Public	6-8	900 16th Street West	Birmingham	35208	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-6370	433	22	19.6	91.9%	1 (0.2%)	404 (93.3%)	21 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.6%)	8.5	429^th of 442 public middle schools	2.9%		11	405^th of 437 public middle schools	7.3%	24		1.6	1.6	0.7	8.8		22.2	23.8	17.8	$19,712	$1,930	$17,781
Wilkerson Middle School	Public	6-8	116 11th Ct W	Birmingham	35204	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-2740	390	17	22.9	88.7%	1 (0.3%)	326 (83.6%)	61 (15.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	11.7	401^st of 442 public middle schools	9.3%		44.1	242^nd of 437 public middle schools	44.6%	159		4.7	0.8	3.3	12.0		22.5	24.8	32.4	$10,839	$1,819	$9,017
City Elementary	Public	7-8	901 9th Avenue North	Birmingham	35204	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	No	(205) 231-2288	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
C J Donald Middle School	Public	6-8	715 Valley Rd	Fairfield	35064	Jefferson County	Fairfield City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 783-6823	332	11	30.1	84.6%	1 (0.3%)	312 (94.0%)	18 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9.8	418^th of 442 public middle schools	5.4%					(n/a)		4.0	3.9	0.9	7.6		26.0	20.4	24.0	$11,750	$2,352	$9,279
Green Acres Middle School	Public	6-8	1220 67th Street West	Birmingham	35228	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-1370	337	18	18.7	94.7%	1 (0.3%)	292 (86.6%)	38 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.8%)	13.9	383^rd of 442 public middle schools	13.3%		10.5	408^th of 437 public middle schools	6.6%	25		5.3	2.5	1.9	18.8		30.4	22.1	33.3	$14,583	$5,618	$8,963
Jones Valley Middle School	Public	6-8	2000 31st Street SW	Birmingham	35221	Jefferson County	Birmingham City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 231-1040	502	26	19.3	92.6%	7 (1.4%)	454 (90.4%)	32 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.6%)	7.9	432^nd of 442 public middle schools	2.3%		7.8	425^th of 437 public middle schools	2.7%	7		2.2	0.7	1.3	9.3		14.1	24.4	14.7	$11,995	$2,095	$9,898
Homewood Middle School	Public	6-8	395 Mecca Avenue	Homewood	35209	Jefferson County	Homewood City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 870-0878	926	60	15.3	29.6%	604 (65.2%)	151 (16.3%)	122 (13.2%)	18 (1.9%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (3.1%)	96.5	13^th of 442 public middle schools	97.1%		97.1	9^th of 437 public middle schools	97.9%	4		69.9	61.4	55.7	71.6		82.0	78.8	73.3	$11,292	$1,285	$9,985
Rutledge School	Public	5-8	1221 8th St	Midfield	35228	Jefferson County	Midfield City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 780-8647	315	18	18.0	92.1%	4 (1.3%)	279 (88.6%)	28 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	11.3	405^th of 442 public middle schools	8.4%		10.8	407^th of 437 public middle schools	6.9%	2	7.9	9.6	1.5	0.0	11.5	26.7	21.7	24.6	29.9	$13,639	$5,032	$8,603
Mountain Brook Junior High School	Public	7-9	205 Overbrook Dr	Mountain Brook	35213	Jefferson County	Mountain Brook City	No	No	No	No	(205) 871-3516	982	83	11.8	2.4%	916 (93.3%)	2 (0.2%)	18 (1.8%)	11 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (3.6%)	98.4	3^rd of 442 public middle schools	99.3%		99.1	1^st of 437 public middle schools	99.8%	2			67.0	67.0	82.0			83.2	80.1	$12,244	$113	$12,131
Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School	Public	6-8	805 7th Ave	Pleasant Grove	35127	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	No	No	No	(205) 379-5280	306	20	15.3	47.4%	133 (43.5%)	136 (44.4%)	31 (10.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)	98.7	2^nd of 442 public middle schools	99.5%		97.8	6^th of 437 public middle schools	98.6%	4		64.9	82.7	48.6	85.3		93.8	99.0	96.3	$13,217	$835	$12,351

Frequently Asked Questions about Bush Hills STEAM Academy

What district is Bush Hills STEAM Academy in?

Birmingham City

Is Bush Hills STEAM Academy a good school?

Bush Hills STEAM Academy ranks in the bottom 2.9% of Alabama middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Bush Hills STEAM Academy?

Students at Bush Hills STEAM Academy are 93% African American, 5% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Bush Hills STEAM Academy attend?

Students who attend Bush Hills STEAM Academy usually go on to attend JacksonOlin High School

How many students attend Bush Hills STEAM Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 433 students attended Bush Hills STEAM Academy.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.