James Clemens High, 11306 County Line Road: grades 9 to 12, 2,145 students on the 2024-25 state report card, which graded it a B with 88 points.
Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, administration page, Schedules & Calendars page and athletics site; Madison City Schools’ School Zones page, School Locator and 2026-27 calendar (PDF); the Alabama State Department of Education’s state report card for 2024-25; the federal NCES school directory for 2024-25; and the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 2026-28 alignment.
James Clemens High, on County Line Road in west Madison, is the larger of Madison City Schools’ two high schools, with 2,145 students on the 2024-25 state report card. Its mailing ZIP code is 35756. Alabama graded it a B, with 88 points, on its 2024-25 report card, after an A with 91 points the year before. Its graduation rate on the 2024-25 card was 95.8%.
Who to call
- Front office: 256-216-5313, 11306 County Line Road
- School website: jchs.madisoncity.k12.al.us
- Enrolling or checking a zone: Madison City Schools Central Office, 256-464-8370, 211 Celtic Drive, and the district’s Enrollment page
- Buses: MCS Transportation, 256-774-4613, 217 Westchester Drive
| Address | 11306 County Line Road, Madison, AL 35756 |
| Phone | 256-216-5313 |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| District | Madison City Schools |
| Mascot | Jets |
| AHSAA football, 2026-28 | Class 6A, Region 4 |
| State school code | 169-0095 |
Principal
Principal Kerry Donaldson Jr., according to the school’s administration page. The page says he joined Madison City Schools at James Clemens in the 2018-19 school year and was principal of RISE Academy, the district’s alternative school, from 2021 to 2023 before taking over at James Clemens.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: 2,145 students on the 2024-25 Alabama state report card, up from 2,114 on the 2023-24 card.
- Federal count: 2,159 students in the 2024-25 school year, with 120 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 18 students per teacher.
State report card
Alabama grades every public school from A to F each year. The grade comes from a 100-point score built from students’ achievement and growth on state tests in English language arts and math, chronic absenteeism (the share of students who missed 18 or more days), progress in English language proficiency and, for high schools, graduation rate and college and career readiness, according to the Alabama State Department of Education’s report card rules.
2024-25 grade: B, 88 points. The 2023-24 card gave James Clemens an A, with 91 points. Madison City Schools as a whole earned an A, with 95 points, in 2024-25.
| Indicator | 2024-25 score |
|---|---|
| Academic achievement (ELA and math tests) | 69.42 |
| Academic growth | 91.27 |
| Graduation rate | 95.8% |
| College and career readiness | 88.79% |
| Chronic absenteeism (lower is better) | 11.27% of students |
The state does not list James Clemens as a support school. The full report card, with results by student group, is on the state’s report card site.
Attendance zone
The district redrew its zones for 2026-27, when Russell Branch Elementary opened in west Madison. It held a public hearing on rezoning Oct. 27, 2025 (notice, PDF), and the 2026-27 rezoning map was an action item at the board’s Nov. 6, 2025, meeting (agenda, PDF). Check any address on the district’s School Locator.
On the 2026-27 zone map behind the locator, two middle schools feed James Clemens:
- Liberty Middle, all of its zone
- Journey Middle, part of its zone; the rest of Journey goes to Bob Jones High
The elementary zones that lead to James Clemens, in whole or in part, are Columbia, Heritage, Madison, Mill Creek, Russell Branch and a small area of Rainbow. All of Heritage’s zone goes to James Clemens.
The district’s School Zones page asks families with Limestone County addresses in the 35756 ZIP code to check that their home is inside the city school district, using the locator or the county tax records.
Programs
The school’s academics menu lists career academies, dual enrollment, co-op (work-based learning), fine arts, college and career resources and a Seal of Biliteracy program.
Bell times
From the school’s 2026-27 bell schedules:
- Refuel days: first block 8:12 a.m., a 55-minute “Refuel” period from 11:23 a.m. to 12:18 p.m., fourth block ends 3:28 p.m.
- Non-Refuel days: 8:12 a.m. to 3:28 p.m., with lunch inside third block
- Half days: 8:12 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Sports and activities
For football in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 2026-28 alignment, James Clemens is a Class 6A school, the largest public school class, in Region 4, with Bob Jones, Buckhorn, Gadsden City, Grissom, Hazel Green, Huntsville and Sparkman. The AHSAA’s 2026-28 enrollment list, which sets the classes, gives James Clemens a figure of 1,656.40.
The Jets’ athletics site lists teams in baseball, basketball, bowling, competitive cheer, cross country, flag football, football, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, swim and dive, tennis, volleyball and wrestling. Its facilities page names Madison City Stadium, 211 Celtic Drive, as the home of James Clemens football, and the JetsPlex on campus as the home of baseball. Schedules and results are in our Friday night football guide and on our scoreboard.
Calendar
James Clemens follows the Madison City Schools 2026-27 calendar (PDF). Coming dates:
- Wednesday, Oct. 21: PSAT for registered 10th and 11th graders; e-learning for 9th and 12th graders
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day, schools closed
- Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving, schools closed
- Dec. 17-18: half days; Dec. 18 ends the first semester
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 4: winter holidays; students return Wednesday, Jan. 6
- March 15-19, 2027: spring break
- Monday, May 17, 2027: graduation day
- Tuesday, May 25, 2027: last day for students, a half day
More
- The school’s website and athletics site
- Every public school in Madison, with zones and report cards
- Our Madison schools guide for enrollment, the Board of Education and the district calendar
- Bob Jones High, the district’s other high school
Frequently asked questions
What grades does James Clemens High serve?
James Clemens High serves ninth through 12th grade. It is one of two high schools in Madison City Schools; the other is Bob Jones High.
What is James Clemens High’s state report card grade?
James Clemens earned a B, with 88 points, on Alabama’s 2024-25 state report card, after an A with 91 points on the 2023-24 card. Its graduation rate on the 2024-25 card was 95.8%.
Which middle schools feed James Clemens High?
All of Liberty Middle’s zone and part of Journey Middle’s zone, according to the district’s 2026-27 school zone map.
What time does James Clemens High start?
First block starts at 8:12 a.m. and fourth block ends at 3:28 p.m. on the school’s 2026-27 bell schedules. Half days end at 12:15 p.m.
What AHSAA class is James Clemens?
Class 6A, Region 4 for football in the AHSAA’s 2026-28 alignment, with Bob Jones, Buckhorn, Gadsden City, Grissom, Hazel Green, Huntsville and Sparkman.
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