Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

Q: Is Grace M. James Academy of Excellence a good school?

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence ranks 236 th of 324 Kentucky middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence is a public magnet middle school in Louisville, Kentucky, serving 361 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Jefferson County school district, which is ranked 141 out of 159 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Kentucky middle schools, with proficiency rates well below the district and state averages in subjects like mathematics, reading, and science. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's mathematics proficiency rate was 21-25%, compared to 24-27% for Jefferson County and 37-42% for the state. The school's performance has remained relatively stagnant over the past three years. However, the school stands out for its strong performance for African American students, ranking in the top 30% of Kentucky middle schools for this subgroup.

While Grace M. James Academy of Excellence faces significant academic challenges, it is located in close proximity to several higher-performing magnet schools, such as Barret Traditional Middle, Meyzeek Middle, and Noe Middle. These schools consistently rank in the top 25% of Kentucky middle schools and have significantly higher academic proficiency rates across various subjects. The proximity of these higher-performing schools presents opportunities for Grace M. James Academy of Excellence to explore collaborative efforts, share resources, and learn from their best practices.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-9

1615 West Broadway
Louisville, KY 40203

(502) 485-8123

District: Jefferson County

SchoolDigger Rank:
236^th of 324 Kentucky Middle Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 424

Racial breakdown:

African American:

80.2%

Two or more races:

8.0%

White:

5.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 61.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Grace M. James Academy of Excellence ranks worse than 72.8% of middle schools in Kentucky. It also ranks 7^th among 22 ranked middle schools in the Jefferson County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.56. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Grace M. James Academy of Excellence has the smallest middle school student body size in the Jefferson County School District. Racial makeup is: African American (80.2%), two or more races (8%), White (5.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 61.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence is 14.4, which is the 6^th best among 22 middle schools in the Jefferson County School District. (See more...)

Compare Grace M. James Academy of Excellence employs 29.3 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence:

SchoolDigger ranks Grace M. James Academy of Excellence 236^th of 324 Kentucky public middle schools. (See Grace M. James Academy of Excellence in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

African American students:

Jefferson County:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson County 141^st of 159 Kentucky school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

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Rank History for all students at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	KY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	32.88	224^th	327	31.5%
2024	29.56	236^th	324	27.2%

See the entire list of Kentucky Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	KY State Percentile
2022	49.47	139^th	310	55.2%
2023	44.12	167^th	309	46.0%
2024	35.65	209^th	311	32.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	KY State Percentile
2022	26.61	239^th	299	20.1%
2023	25.85	231^st	295	21.7%
2024	23.45	244^th	300	18.7%

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

Rank History for African American students at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	KY State Percentile
2022	71.96	20^th	84	76.2%
2023	70.29	22^nd	79	72.2%
2024	63.73	24^th	80	70.0%

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

Data source: test scores: Kentucky 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: Kentucky Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2021	11	115	3	7	0	13	149
2022	15	200	1	10	0	20	246
2023	23	288	5	18	1	26	361
2024	24	340	5	20	1	34	424

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 Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2021	149	8.4	17.7	56.4
2022	246	15.8	15.5	65.4
2023	361	22.0	16.4	64.3
2024	424	29.3	14.4	61.3

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 Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2021	149	8.4	17.7	56.4
2022	246	15.8	15.5	65.4
2023	361	22.0	16.4	64.3
2024	424	29.3	14.4	61.3

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.

Schools Near Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				KSA Mathematics (2024)			KSA Reading (2024)			KSA Science (2024)	KSA Writing (2024)	KSA Social Studies (2024)	KSA Editing and Mechanics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	KSA Mathematics 6th Grade	KSA Mathematics 7th Grade	KSA Mathematics 8th Grade	KSA Reading 6th Grade	KSA Reading 7th Grade	KSA Reading 8th Grade	KSA Science 7th Grade	KSA Writing 8th Grade	KSA Social Studies 8th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence	Public, Magnet	6-9	1615 West Broadway	Louisville	40203	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(502) 485-8123	424	29	14.4	61.3%	24 (5.7%)	340 (80.2%)	20 (4.7%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (8.0%)	29.6	236^th of 324 public middle schools	27.2%		32.9	224^th of 327 public middle schools	31.5%	12	25.0	21.0	25.0	44.0	45.0	36.0	9.0	57.0	28.0	47.0
Dr. J. Blaine Hudson Middle School	Public	6	1107 South 17th street	Louisville	40210	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(502) 485-8187	279	22	12.9	91.8%	12 (4.3%)	247 (88.5%)	6 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.0%)								(n/a)				8.0
Western Middle School for the Arts	Public, Magnet	6-8	2201 West Main Street	Louisville	40212	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(502) 485-8345	618	36	17.1	56.1%	179 (29.0%)	330 (53.4%)	59 (9.5%)	6 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.1%)	24.6	251^st of 324 public middle schools	22.5%		31.6	232^nd of 327 public middle schools	29.1%	19	34.0	22.0	20.0	46.0	48.0	30.0		19.0	28.0	40.0	$30,049	$2,099	$1,160	$3,259	$12,336	$1,419	$13,755
Johnson Traditional Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2509 Wilson Ave	Louisville	40210	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(502) 485-8277	660	31	21.0	67.1%	157 (23.8%)	381 (57.7%)	52 (7.9%)	27 (4.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (6.2%)	4.6	316^th of 324 public middle schools	2.5%		8.5	311^th of 327 public middle schools	4.9%	5	13.0	14.0	13.0	28.0	23.0	17.0		20.0	17.0	22.0	$16,094	$2,595	$1,181	$3,776	$9,710	$1,344	$11,054
Meyzeek Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	828 South Jackson Street	Louisville	40203	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	No	(502) 485-8299	896	53	17.0	44.0%	245 (27.3%)	263 (29.4%)	68 (7.6%)	269 (30.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	48 (5.4%)	73.3	61^st of 324 public middle schools	81.2%		82.9	33^rd of 327 public middle schools	89.9%	28	49.0	47.0	61.0	54.0	49.0	58.0	29.0	57.0	59.0	65.0	$16,099	$2,128	$1,217	$3,345	$10,005	$1,348	$11,353
Noe Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	121 West Lee Street	Louisville	40208	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	No	(502) 485-8307	1,198	64	18.7	45.7%	580 (48.4%)	324 (27.0%)	109 (9.1%)	96 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	88 (7.3%)	79.9	41^st of 324 public middle schools	87.3%		82.4	36^th of 327 public middle schools	89.0%	5	62.0	58.0	50.0	66.0	64.0	54.0	32.0	55.0	48.0	59.0	$16,144	$1,859	$1,197	$3,056	$10,581	$1,303	$11,884
Jefferson County Traditional Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1418 Morton Ave	Louisville	40204	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	No	(502) 485-8272	874	47	18.6	47.6%	402 (46.0%)	316 (36.2%)	73 (8.4%)	21 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (7.0%)	45.4	166^th of 324 public middle schools	48.8%		62.1	105^th of 327 public middle schools	67.9%	61	46.0	32.0	44.0	53.0	36.0	39.0		36.0	41.0	48.0	$17,019	$1,854	$1,135	$2,989	$11,070	$1,393	$12,463
Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North	Public, Magnet	6-8	4530 Bellevue Avenue	Louisville	40215	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(502) 485-8331	486	35	13.9	78.2%	95 (19.5%)	221 (45.5%)	120 (24.7%)	27 (5.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.3%)	2.3	322^nd of 324 public middle schools	0.6%		2.7	323^rd of 327 public middle schools	1.2%	1	12.0	16.0	9.0	17.0	18.0	10.0	4.0	8.0	13.0	16.0	$20,552	$3,295	$1,385	$4,680	$13,200	$1,409	$14,609
Highland Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1700 Norris Place	Louisville	40205	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(502) 485-8266	717	49	14.5	59.8%	326 (45.5%)	210 (29.3%)	105 (14.6%)	21 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (7.7%)	21.8	263^rd of 324 public middle schools	18.8%		17.8	280^th of 327 public middle schools	14.4%	17	34.0	22.0	24.0	53.0	34.0	29.0	11.0	24.0	31.0	33.0	$17,342	$2,481	$1,260	$3,741	$10,843	$1,321	$12,164
Barret Traditional Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2561 Grinstead Drive	Louisville	40206	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	No	(502) 485-8207	631	36	17.6	42.8%	283 (44.8%)	207 (32.8%)	38 (6.0%)	55 (8.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (7.3%)	80.6	39^th of 324 public middle schools	88.0%		80.1	44^th of 327 public middle schools	86.5%	5	54.0	57.0	54.0	68.0	67.0	55.0	30.0	59.0	52.0	58.0	$16,754	$1,937	$1,300	$3,237	$10,960	$1,289	$12,249

Frequently Asked Questions about Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

What district is Grace M. James Academy of Excellence in?

Jefferson County

How many students attend Grace M. James Academy of Excellence?

In the 2023-24 school year, 424 students attended Grace M. James Academy of Excellence.

What is the racial makeup of Grace M. James Academy of Excellence?

Students at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence are 80% African American, 8% Two or more races, 6% White, 5% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

Is Grace M. James Academy of Excellence a good school?

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence ranks 236^th of 324 Kentucky middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

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