Coral Terrace Elementary School

Coral Terrace Elementary School is a public school in Miami, FL, serving 462 students from Pre-K through 5th grade within the Miami-Dade district, and it is currently showing promising signs of improvement after a recent dip in performance. The school has earned a 3-star rating and ranks in the 52nd percentile statewide for the 2025-2026 school year, a notable rebound from the previous two years when it ranked in the low 40s percentile. One of the most striking changes at Coral Terrace is its shifting student population: the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch dropped dramatically from nearly 79% in 2022-2023 to 50% in 2024-2025, a much faster change than at any nearby school. This shift may be contributing to the school's upward academic trajectory, as schools with lower poverty rates often see improved test scores.

Academically, Coral Terrace has a clear strength in math, with 3rd-grade math proficiency reaching 80% in 2025-2026, outperforming both the district and state averages. However, English Language Arts (ELA) is a persistent challenge, especially in 5th grade, where only 48% of students were proficient—a full 17 points below the district average. This "5th grade slump" suggests a need for targeted support in reading comprehension at that level. In contrast, a nearby school like David Fairchild Elementary School, just 1.74 miles away, is a 4-star school ranking in the 83rd percentile and outperforms Coral Terrace in every subject and grade, highlighting the gap Coral Terrace is working to close.

Chronic absenteeism is another area of concern, with a rate of 23.2% in 2023-2024. While this is better than the district and state averages, it is more than double the rates at high-performing neighbors like Banyan Elementary School (11.4%) and Flagami Elementary School (11.1%). Notably, Coral Terrace spends $14,910 per student, which is higher than some higher-performing schools in the area, indicating that funding is not the primary issue. For parents, the key takeaway is that Coral Terrace is a school in transition, with strong math programs and a changing demographic that could fuel further improvement, but it must urgently address its chronic absenteeism and 5th-grade ELA performance to sustain its upward momentum.