Grace M. James Academy of Excellence, Louisville KY

Original Research by School Decision on Grace M. James Academy of Excellence

Grace M. James Academy of Excellence is an alternative school in Louisville, Kentucky, serving students from sixth through ninth grade. As an alternative school, it operates under the Jefferson County Public Schools system but is structured to serve students whose needs may not be met in a traditional middle or high school setting. The school is located on West Broadway in Louisville, a city that is part of a consolidated city-county government covering a vast, low-density area. Louisville’s economy is anchored by health care administration, air cargo logistics (UPS has its worldwide hub at the local airport), bourbon production, and tourism. The school sits within a larger metropolitan area that spans a dozen counties, but the immediate neighborhood is a mix of commercial and residential uses, and the city as a whole is largely car-dependent outside its urban core.

The school enrolls a modest number of students for a grades 6–9 building. A substantial share of those students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of white students, students identifying as two or more races, and Hispanic students; Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students each make up a very small portion of the population. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.

On Kentucky’s state assessments, the school’s performance varies by subject. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above is higher than in math or science across the tested grades. Sixth and seventh grade ELA proficiency rates are notably stronger, while eighth grade ELA is around half of students meeting the bar. In math, proficiency rates are lower for all three grades tested. Seventh grade science proficiency is the lowest among all subjects; eighth grade social studies sits between ELA and math. The school does not serve twelfth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was also not available.

Placed in context relative to other districts in Jefferson County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades is above the midpoint. That comparison set is small, but it suggests that while math and science are soft spots, the school’s combined academic picture sits in a middle-to-higher position among the county’s districts.

For a parent considering this school, the alternative designation is the central fact. This is not a traditional middle school; it is a setting designed for students who have struggled in other environments or who benefit from a smaller, more structured approach. The relatively stronger ELA results indicate that literacy instruction may be a particular area of focus. The weaker math and science performance are gaps a parent would want to explore with the school to understand what interventions are in place. The absence of data on discipline, course access, and staffing means a family should inquire directly about those areas before deciding.

Louisville’s housing market, as measured by typical home values and rents, is below state and national benchmarks, and the area’s unemployment rate has been near the national average. The school’s location on the west side of the city places it in a part of Louisville that has seen less investment compared to the eastern suburbs, but the consolidated district draws from a wide area. For families already within the Jefferson County system who are looking for an alternative placement, Grace M. James Academy is a known option that serves a specific purpose. Whether it is the right fit depends on the match between a student’s needs and the school’s alternative model, a question that requires a visit and a conversation with staff.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 28%

▼ 14 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 736%

School 36% · District 31% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 834%

School 34% · District 28% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 665%

School 65% · District 39% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 763%

School 63% · District 36% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 852%

School 52% · District 30% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Science

Grade 722%

School 22% · District 20% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 28% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

This schoolJefferson County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income61%Higher-income77%16 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income56%Higher-income76%20 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income26%Higher-income35%9 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income35%Higher-income39%4 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income28%Higher-income50%22 pp gap