Dr. Marvin Dunn Academy For Community Education.

Dr. Marvin Dunn Academy For Community Education is a small, alternative high school in El Portal, FL, serving 77 students in grades 9 through 12 within the Miami-Dade school district, where about 74% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

This school functions as a "second chance" or credit recovery institution, which explains its most significant challenge: a graduation rate of just 44.4%, far below the district average of roughly 93%. Nearby schools like Doctors Charter School Of Miami Shores (100%) and Itech@thomas A Edison Educational Center (96.2%) have much higher rates. The primary barrier appears to be chronic absenteeism, which affects 65.5% of students—more than double the district average of 28.2% and far higher than the 18.4% rate at Doctors Charter. However, the school invests heavily in its students, spending $26,513 per pupil (more than double what William H. Turner Technical Arts High School spends) and maintaining a very low 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio, suggesting an intensive, individualized approach.

Despite these hurdles, recent test scores show a promising turnaround. In the 2025-2026 school year, the school achieved 82% proficiency in US History (beating both district and state averages) and 42% in Biology 1—a dramatic jump from just 3% two years earlier. This outperforms Stellar Leadership Academy, a similar alternative school, which posted only 8% in Biology and 27% in US History. The data suggests that when students attend regularly, the small classes and high spending can produce strong academic results, but solving the attendance crisis remains the key to improving graduation rates.