- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Louisville, KY
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence
Federal NCES profile for Grace M. James Academy of Excellence, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 210299002507
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 88
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Kentucky schools.
- #1 of 21
- middle schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 56.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence has class sizes larger than 93% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Grace M. James Academy of Excellence ranks #1 of 21 middle schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299002507 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+63 students YoY
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence grew from 361 students in 2022-23 to 424 in 2023-24 (+17.5%).
Teacher FTE added 22.0 → 29.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+63 students YoY 210299002507 · Louisville, KY Middle · SMALL · TRAD
440 enr · 20:1 · 56.0% lunch · RII 59
Nearest enrollment peer: Ballard High (2,148 students)
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence grew from 361 students in 2022-23 to 424 in 2023-24 (+17.5%). Teacher FTE added 22.0 → 29.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Kentucky schools → · Find another →
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Ballard High
Ballard High
2,148 students
- Dupont Manual
Dupont Manual High
1,899 students
- Marion C. Moor
Marion C. Moore School
1,892 students
- Eastern High
Eastern High
1,790 students
- Pleasure Ridge
Pleasure Ridge Park High
1,777 students
- This school 440
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence
440 students
What this shows Grace M. James Academy of Excellence reports 440 students on the CCD universe file.
How Grace M. James Academy of Excellence compares
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20:1 | ▲ 32% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.0% | ▼ 5% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 440 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
440
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
56.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 93% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
4.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$18,189
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $14,362
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 220 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 79.1%
Two or More 8.0%
White 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
Asian 1.6%
Largest group: African American at 79.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.1, Grace M. James Academy of Excellence is about as mixed as the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Jefferson County reports $18,189 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Grace M. James Academy of Excellence Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Grace M. James Academy of Excellence's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar middle schools in Louisville
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Stuart Academy
Standard public school
1,166 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Noe Middle
Standard public school
1,155 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Ramsey Middle
Standard public school
1,151 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Westport Middle
Standard public school
988 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Thomas Jefferson Middle
Standard public school
943 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Lassiter Middle
Standard public school
921 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~440 students)
Frequently asked questions about Grace M. James Academy of Excellence
How many students attend Grace M. James Academy of Excellence?
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence has 440 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Louisville, KY. CCD year-over-year: 361 (2022-23) → 424 (2023-24), up 63.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence?
The student-teacher ratio at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence is 20:1, which is 32% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence?
56.0% of students at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Grace M. James Academy of Excellence?
The largest demographic group at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence is African American at 79.1% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Grace M. James Academy of Excellence?
Grace M. James Academy of Excellence has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Grace M. James Academy of Excellence rank among middle schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Grace M. James Academy of Excellence ranks #1 of 21 middle schools in Louisville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Louisville on the city page.
What other schools are in Jefferson County?
Besides Grace M. James Academy of Excellence, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson County district page for the complete list.