Earlington Heights Elementary School

Earlington Heights Elementary School is a public PK-5 school in the Miami-Dade district, serving 371 students in a predominantly low-income community where 69% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

This school presents a mixed picture for parents. On one hand, it shows a notable strength in upper elementary math, with 66% of 5th graders proficient—a rate that matches the state average. On the other hand, the school has experienced significant academic volatility, dropping from the 55th percentile statewide to the 23rd percentile in the most recent year. This decline is especially stark when compared to its close neighbor, Kelsey L. Pharr Elementary School, located just 0.25 miles away. Despite serving a similar student population, Kelsey L. Pharr has been on a strong upward trajectory, reaching the 66th percentile. The gap is most visible in 4th-grade math, where Earlington Heights achieved 52% proficiency compared to Kelsey L. Pharr's 92%. Literacy is a systemic weakness across all grades at Earlington Heights, with English Language Arts scores consistently below district averages.

A critical challenge is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 40.8%—nearly 1.5 times the district average. This rate spiked dramatically during the pandemic and has not recovered, creating a major barrier to academic improvement. Interestingly, the school spends $18,221 per student, significantly more than nearby schools like Mater International Academy ($9,951) and Kelsey L. Pharr ($15,735), yet this high investment has not translated into consistent results. For parents, the key takeaway is that Earlington Heights has pockets of potential, particularly in upper-grade math, but must urgently address attendance and early-grade instruction to reverse its recent decline and provide a better return on its substantial per-pupil spending.