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Test scores delayed: 2026 rankings for Georgia do not yet include English Language Arts scores, which will not be released by the Georgia Department of Education until winter 2026.

Herman J. Russell West End Academy

Public Grades 6-8

447^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 578 Georgia Middle Schools

Better than 23% of Georgia middle schools

Summary

Herman J. Russell West End Academy is a middle school in Atlanta's West End neighborhood serving 342 students in grades 6-8, and it is part of Atlanta Public Schools.

This school is showing real momentum. After several years of ranking in the bottom 15% of Georgia middle schools, it jumped from 521st to 447th in the state this past year—its best showing since 2018-2019. That upward trend shows up in several areas. Chronic absenteeism dropped dramatically from 53.8% to 35.1% in a single year, which is still higher than the district average but a huge improvement. In 8th grade Social Studies, proficiency soared from 8.7% to 30.1%, nearly matching the district average. Math is also improving, especially in 7th grade, where proficiency nearly doubled to 21%. Science scores (21.6% proficient) now beat several nearby schools like Jean Childs Young Middle School (10.7%) and Sylvan Hills Middle School (12.6%). The school also stands out for its resources: it spends $35,178 per student—far more than David T Howard Middle School ($23,095) or Kipp Strive Charter School ($22,282)—and maintains a very low student-teacher ratio of 8.8 to 1.

There are still challenges. Overall test scores remain below district and state averages, and the school does not yet offer Algebra I to 8th graders, unlike several nearby schools. There's also a notable gap between how female students (31st percentile) and male students (13th percentile) perform. However, the school is particularly effective with its African American students, who rank in the 38th percentile statewide—well above the school's overall ranking. With strong resources, improving attendance, and gains across multiple subjects, this is a school on a clear upward path. If the trend continues, it could keep climbing toward the middle of the state rankings in the coming years.

342

Students ?

8.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$35,178

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

765 Peeples St SW
Atlanta, GA 30310

(404) 802-6800

District: Atlanta Public Schools

Students who attend Herman J. Russell West End Academy usually attend:

High:

Booker T. Washington High School

Feeder schools for Herman J. Russell West End Academy:

Elementary:	M. A. Jones Elementary School
	Tuskegee Airman Global Academy

Racial breakdown:

African American:

96.8%

Hispanic:

2.0%

Two or more races:

0.6%

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Compare Herman J. Russell West End Academy to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 12th percentile in 2016 → 23rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 11 percentile points since 2016

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Georgia average (20% vs 42% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (23rd percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (35% vs 18% Georgia)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school20%

District avg35%

Georgia avg42%

447^th of 578

Georgia public middle schools ?

Bottom 23%▲ up 11 pts since 2016

From bottom 12% (2016) to bottom 23% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

10^th of 15Middle Schools in the Atlanta Public Schools

119^th of 202Atlanta Public Schools among Georgia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	22.5	447 of 578	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.4	521 of 585	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.6	520 of 578	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.2	486 of 569	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.3	492 of 558	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	12.5	484 of 542	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.1	481 of 559	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	12.4	497 of 543	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	11.3	494 of 539	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	13.6	482 of 545	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	14.7	466 of 537	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	16.6	462 of 521	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	19.5	468 of 527	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	27.3	422 of 508	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	35.7	371 of 504	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	40.3	341 of 494	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	33.2	365 of 466	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	44.6	293 of 462	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	26.2	381 of 445	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	41.4	296 of 420	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	35.7	296 of 480	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	23.3	406 of 494	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.6	408 of 489	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.6	360 of 485	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.1	386 of 482	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	30.6	382 of 550	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	14.1	507 of 567	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.9	501 of 558	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.7	457 of 553	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.9	471 of 544	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	14.8	477 of 550	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.5	507 of 569	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.5	518 of 561	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	14.3	503 of 559	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.0	509 of 553	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	23.9	342 of 425	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.5	404 of 442	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	21.7	385 of 437	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.1	392 of 429	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	29.3	319 of 431	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2026)38th percentile+16 vs school

Female (2026)31st percentile+8 vs school

Special Education (2026)20th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2026)13th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies30%-10 vs state

Science22%-8 vs state

Mathematics16%-27 vs state

★

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Schools Near Herman J. Russell West End Academy

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2026)	Milestones Assessment Biology (2026)	Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2026)				Milestones Assessment Science (2026)		Milestones Assessment Social Studies (2026)	Milestones Assessment HS Physical Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment Biology End of Course	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment HS Physical Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Herman J. Russell West End Academy	Public	6-8	765 Peeples St SW	Atlanta	30310	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-6800	342	39	8.8	100.0%	1 (0.3%)	331 (96.8%)	7 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	22.5	447^th of 578 public middle schools	22.7%		14.4	521^st of 585 public middle schools	10.9%	74				9.4	21.0	18.3		21.6	30.1		$35,178	$1,901	$33,277
Kipp Strive Charter School	Public, Charter	6-8	1444 Lucile Ave SW	Atlanta	30310	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(404) 753-1530	312	24	12.8	96.2%	2 (0.6%)	302 (96.8%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	47.6	274^th of 578 public middle schools	52.6%		31	401^st of 585 public middle schools	31.5%	127				18.5	28.9	39.6		38.5	49.5		$22,282	$1,298	$20,984
Sylvan Hills Middle School	Public	6-8	1461 Sylvan Rd SW	Atlanta	30310	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-6203	452	35	13.0	100.0%	1 (0.2%)	437 (96.7%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	26.8	419^th of 578 public middle schools	27.5%		17.1	492^nd of 585 public middle schools	15.9%	73	90.9			12.0	26.9	39.6		12.6	23.8	72.2	$28,589	$1,943	$26,645
KIPP WAYS Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	6-8	350 Temple St NW	Atlanta	30314	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(404) 475-1941	289	23	12.7	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	283 (97.9%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	24.7	431^st of 578 public middle schools	25.4%		13.6	534^th of 585 public middle schools	8.7%	103	58.3			16.3	17.4	35.2		22.8	15.9		$27,417	$2,745	$24,672
Martin L. King Junior Middle School	Public	6-8	545 Hill St SE	Atlanta	30312	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-5400	879	65	13.5	97.4%	142 (16.2%)	642 (73.0%)	55 (6.3%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (3.6%)	40.9	320^th of 578 public middle schools	44.6%		36.7	364^th of 585 public middle schools	37.8%	44	95.7			31.4	31.7	34.2		26.9	31.2	87.9	$25,522	$1,804	$23,717
Judson Price Middle School	Public	6-8	1670 Benjamin Weldon Bickers	Atlanta	30315	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-6300	241	29	8.3	100.0%	1 (0.4%)	231 (95.9%)	8 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	11.1	537^th of 578 public middle schools	7.1%		8.6	564^th of 585 public middle schools	3.6%	27	25.0			9.5	7.8	10.8		16.1	4.3		$36,877	$1,898	$34,980
John Lewis Invictus Academy	Public	6-8	1890 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy	Atlanta	30318	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-6149	692	60	11.6	100.0%	2 (0.3%)	623 (90.0%)	54 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.6%)	16.8	487^th of 578 public middle schools	15.7%		10.4	552^nd of 585 public middle schools	5.6%	65	90.0	18.8		16.5	10.6	18.8		16.9	17.1		$27,310	$1,905	$25,405
Atlanta SMART Academy	Public, Charter	5-8	2636 Martin Luther King Jr Dr	Atlanta	30311	Fulton County	State Specialty Schools II- Atlanta SMART Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(470) 502-3110	221	20	11.3	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	205 (92.8%)	6 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.5%)	15.5	503^rd of 578 public middle schools	13.0%		26.4	431^st of 585 public middle schools	26.3%	72				15.4	11.9	30.5		2.8	13.6	30.4	$17,120		$17,120
David T Howard Middle School	Public	6-8	551 John Wesley Dobbs	Atlanta	30312	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(404) 802-3200	1,073	71	15.2	23.5%	534 (49.8%)	300 (28.0%)	112 (10.4%)	30 (2.8%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	92 (8.6%)	88.9	51^st of 578 public middle schools	91.2%		93.3	42^nd of 585 public middle schools	92.8%	9	98.9			71.6	69.0	73.3		33.5	62.2	85.1	$23,095	$759	$22,336
Atlanta Neighborhood Charter - Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	820 Essie Ave SE	Atlanta	30316	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	No	(678) 904-0051	233	24	9.6	15.0%	136 (58.4%)	57 (24.5%)	11 (4.7%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (11.2%)	75.2	132^nd of 578 public middle schools	77.2%		84.2	81^st of 585 public middle schools	86.2%	51	88.9			40.3	64.0	56.0		51.4	43.3		$28,673	$57	$28,616

Frequently Asked Questions about Herman J. Russell West End Academy

Is Herman J. Russell West End Academy a good school?

Herman J. Russell West End Academy ranks in the bottom 22.7% of Georgia middle schools.

How many students attend Herman J. Russell West End Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 342 students attended Herman J. Russell West End Academy.

What high school do graduates of Herman J. Russell West End Academy attend?

Students who attend Herman J. Russell West End Academy usually go on to attend Booker T. Washington High School

What is the racial makeup of Herman J. Russell West End Academy?

Students at Herman J. Russell West End Academy are 97% African American, 2% Hispanic.

What district is Herman J. Russell West End Academy in?

Atlanta Public Schools

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Latest Georgia data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataAug 6, 2026

2025–26 Milestones Assessment scoresAug 6, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 Milestones Assessment scores (updated)Aug 6, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesFeb 19, 2026

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