Herman J. Russell West End Academy

As a small intermediate school in Atlanta, Georgia, Herman J. Russell West End Academy serves 342 students from grades 6 through 8, one of the schools within Atlanta Public Schools. Compared to the state average of about 763 students per school, that is 55% below typical.

Atlanta Public Schools runs 87 schools in total, collectively educating 49,945 students. Herman J. Russell West End Academy is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Herman J. Russell West End Academy shows that nearly all students (97%) are Black. Beyond that, the school records 2% Hispanic. That is meaningfully more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 43%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Herman J. Russell West End Academy logs 39 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 8.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.1:1, putting Herman J. Russell West End Academy tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 100% of students at Herman J. Russell West End Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is noticeably above Fulton County's rate of about 62%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Herman J. Russell West End Academy sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 25.7%; this one delivers 17.0%.

Around the school, census data for Fulton County shows the typical household earns roughly $95,292 per year, 59% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Fulton County's 205 public schools (combined enrollment of about 138,270 students), Herman J. Russell West End Academy is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Finch Elementary, roughly 0.9 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. On composite proficiency, Herman J. Russell West End Academy comes 7th of 9 in the immediate cluster, beneath the nearby-schools average of 21.9%.

The school occupies a city-core site.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Herman J. Russell West End Academy has declined 38%, going from 554 students in 2018 to 342 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 14.9:1 in 2018 to 8.8:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.