Citrus Grove Middle School

Citrus Grove Middle School is a public middle school in Miami, Florida, serving 781 students in grades 6-8. The school has a predominantly Hispanic student population, with 94.88% of students identifying as Hispanic in the 2022-2023 school year. Citrus Grove is part of the Miami-Dade school district, which is ranked 24th out of 67 districts in Florida and is rated 3 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Citrus Grove Middle School has consistently underperformed compared to the Miami-Dade and Florida state averages on standardized tests, with proficiency rates significantly lower than the district and state in English Language Arts and Mathematics across all grade levels. For example, in 8th grade ELA, Citrus Grove had a 26% proficiency rate, compared to 51% in Miami-Dade and 47% statewide. The school has also struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 41.5% in the 2022-2023 school year, well above the state and district levels. As a result, Citrus Grove Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Florida middle schools and has received a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years, indicating it is among the lowest-performing schools in the state.

When comparing Citrus Grove Middle School to nearby schools in the same district, such as Mater Lakes Collegiate Academy Middle School and Mater Brickell Academy Middle, both public charter schools, they significantly outperform Citrus Grove on academic measures, with much higher proficiency rates in ELA and Mathematics. This suggests that school choice and alternative educational models may be beneficial for students in the area. Additionally, Citrus Grove Middle School spends more per student ($13,236 in 2022-2023) compared to the nearby charter schools, indicating that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution to improving academic outcomes.