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Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

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

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence ranks 149 th of 320 Kentucky middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 6-10

149^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 320 Kentucky Middle Schools

Better than 53% of Kentucky middle schools

Summary

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence is a public magnet middle school serving grades 6-9 in Louisville, Kentucky, with 424 students. The school is part of the Jefferson County school district, which is ranked 140 out of 157 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Grace M. James Academy consistently outperforms the Jefferson County and Kentucky state averages in reading and mathematics proficiency. For example, in 2024-2025, 65% of 6th graders were proficient in reading, compared to 39% in the district and 52% statewide. The school's performance is particularly strong for African American students, ranking 10th out of 83 Kentucky middle schools in this subgroup. However, the school has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 18.2% to 38.1% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages.

Compared to nearby magnet schools, Grace M. James Academy generally outperforms schools like the Frederick Law Olmsted Academy South and Meyzeek Middle in academic proficiency, particularly in reading. However, the school lags behind higher-performing magnet schools like Noe Middle and Barret Traditional Middle in both academic proficiency and overall school rankings.

440

Students ?

13.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$25,351

Per pupil spending ?

65.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1615 West Broadway
Louisville, KY 40203

(502) 485-8123

District: Jefferson County

Racial breakdown:

African American:

79.1%

Two or more races:

8.0%

White:

5.9%

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Compare Grace M. James Academy of Excellence to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 31st percentile in 2023 → 53rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 22 percentile points since 2023

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Jefferson County

✓Above the Kentucky median (53rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Writing scores 13 pts below the Kentucky average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school45%

District avg31%

Kentucky avg43%

149^th of 320

Kentucky public middle schools ?

Top 47%▲ up 22 pts since 2023

From bottom 31% (2023) to top 47% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Kentucky Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 22Middle Schools in the Jefferson County

140^th of 157Jefferson County among Kentucky 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	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	49.8	149 of 320	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	29.6	236 of 324	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.9	224 of 327	31.5%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	82.8	10 of 83	88.0%	★★★★☆
2024	63.7	24 of 80	70.0%	★★★★☆
2023	70.3	22 of 79	72.2%	★★★★☆
2022	72.0	20 of 84	76.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	44.2	170 of 298	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	23.4	244 of 300	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.9	231 of 295	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.6	239 of 299	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	50.7	137 of 314	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	35.6	209 of 311	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.1	167 of 309	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	49.5	139 of 310	55.2%	★★★☆☆

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 (2025)88th percentile+35 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)56th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)43rd percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs Kentucky (2024-2025) ?

Editing and Mechanics61%+12 vs state

Reading60%+12 vs state

Social Studies44%+5 vs state

Writing36%-13 vs state

Mathematics36%-6 vs state

Science22%-7 vs state

★

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Schools Near Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

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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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				KSA Mathematics (2025)				KSA Reading (2025)				KSA Science (2025)	KSA Writing (2025)	KSA Social Studies (2025)	KSA Editing and Mechanics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KSA Mathematics 6th Grade	KSA Mathematics 7th Grade	KSA Mathematics 8th Grade	KSA Mathematics 10th Grade	KSA Reading 6th Grade	KSA Reading 7th Grade	KSA Reading 8th Grade	KSA Reading 10th 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	6-10	1615 West Broadway	Louisville	40203	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(502) 485-8123	440	34	13.1	65.2%	26 (5.9%)	348 (79.1%)	24 (5.5%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (8.0%)	49.8	149^th of 320 public middle schools	53.4%		29.6	236^th of 324 public middle schools	27.2%	87	28.0	36.0	34.0	44.0	65.0	63.0	52.0	58.0	22.0	36.0	44.0	61.0	$25,351	$908	$2,019	$2,927	$17,800	$4,625	$22,424
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	665	42	15.7	59.1%	227 (34.1%)	330 (49.6%)	59 (8.9%)	7 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.2%)	49.3	154^th of 320 public middle schools	51.9%		24.6	251^st of 324 public middle schools	22.5%	97	31.0	45.0	36.0		50.0	54.0	43.0		33.0	50.0	42.0	56.0	$21,202	$1,151	$1,932	$3,083	$14,408	$3,711	$18,119
Johnson Traditional Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2509 Wilson Ave	Louisville	40210	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(502) 485-8277	516	26	19.6	74.8%	88 (17.1%)	336 (65.1%)	41 (7.9%)	21 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (5.6%)	4.2	314^th of 320 public middle schools	1.9%		4.6	316^th of 324 public middle schools	2.5%	2	6.0	20.0	17.0		18.0	30.0	18.0		7.0			28.0	$19,086	$1,061	$1,699	$2,760	$12,669	$3,657	$16,326
Dr. J. Blaine Hudson Middle School	Public	6-7	3526 West Muhammad Ali Bouleva	Louisville	40212	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(502) 485-8187	615	26	23.6	89.6%	21 (3.4%)	558 (90.7%)	19 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.6%)								(n/a)					7.0								$42,889	$740	$2,039	$2,780	$24,561	$15,548	$40,110
Meyzeek Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	828 South Jackson Street	Louisville	40203	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	No	(502) 485-8299	847	51	16.7	50.5%	182 (21.5%)	293 (34.6%)	96 (11.3%)	231 (27.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (5.3%)	45.4	169^th of 320 public middle schools	47.2%		73.3	61^st of 324 public middle schools	81.2%	108	35.0	48.0	46.0		41.0	50.0	43.0		35.0	36.0	39.0	49.0	$19,145	$646	$1,798	$2,444	$13,038	$3,663	$16,701
Noe Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	121 West Lee Street	Louisville	40208	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	No	(502) 485-8307	1,155	59	19.7	42.8%	593 (51.3%)	276 (23.9%)	108 (9.4%)	106 (9.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	71 (6.1%)	87.6	23^rd of 320 public middle schools	92.8%		79.9	41^st of 324 public middle schools	87.3%	18	67.0	58.0	60.0		77.0	60.0	66.0		43.0	60.0	63.0	69.0	$18,667	$714	$1,769	$2,483	$12,560	$3,625	$16,184
Jefferson County Traditional Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1418 Morton Ave	Louisville	40204	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	No	(502) 485-8272	813	44	18.3	53.1%	325 (40.0%)	331 (40.7%)	74 (9.1%)	21 (2.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (7.5%)	32.1	224^th of 320 public middle schools	30.0%		45.4	166^th of 324 public middle schools	48.8%	58	40.0	48.0	34.0		48.0	48.0	36.0		24.0	25.0	28.0	38.0	$18,626	$412	$1,689	$2,101	$12,968	$3,558	$16,525
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	470	36	13.2	78.3%	89 (18.9%)	216 (46.0%)	103 (21.9%)	29 (6.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.6%)	2.5	315^th of 320 public middle schools	1.6%		2.3	322^nd of 324 public middle schools	0.6%	7	15.0	16.0			16.0	7.0	15.0				19.0	18.0	$25,904	$1,859	$2,112	$3,971	$17,918	$4,016	$21,933
Highland Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1700 Norris Place	Louisville	40205	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(502) 485-8266	639	50	12.8	56.0%	341 (53.4%)	143 (22.4%)	76 (11.9%)	19 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (9.4%)	31.1	229^th of 320 public middle schools	28.4%		21.8	263^rd of 324 public middle schools	18.8%	34	31.0	43.0	24.0		53.0	55.0	34.0		29.0	14.0	29.0	39.0	$21,403	$1,129	$1,574	$2,703	$15,159	$3,540	$18,700
Barret Traditional Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2561 Grinstead Drive	Louisville	40206	Jefferson County	Jefferson County	No	Yes	No	No	(502) 485-8207	579	36	16.3	46.5%	257 (44.4%)	195 (33.7%)	37 (6.4%)	45 (7.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.6%)	77.6	51^st of 320 public middle schools	84.1%		80.6	39^th of 324 public middle schools	88.0%	12	56.0	62.0	52.0		71.0	58.0	62.0		39.0	46.0	51.0	64.0	$19,200	$505	$1,533	$2,038	$13,774	$3,389	$17,163

Frequently Asked Questions about 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 79% African American, 8% Two or more races, 6% White, 5% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

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

Jefferson County

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

In the 2024-25 school year, 440 students attended Grace M. James Academy of Excellence.

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

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence ranks 149^th of 320 Kentucky middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Grace M. James Academy of Excellence!

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Latest Kentucky data All new data »

2024–25 KSA test scoresOct 30, 2025

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 20, 2025

2022–23 through 2023–24 school spending dataJul 25, 2025

2023–24 attendance data & dropout ratesFeb 5, 2025

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.