Leisure City K-8 Center

Leisure City K-8 Center is a public elementary school in Homestead, Florida, serving 1,005 students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. The school is part of the Miami-Dade school district, which is ranked 22nd out of 67 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's higher per-student spending compared to the state and district averages, Leisure City K-8 Center consistently underperforms on standardized tests, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Math, and Science that are 10-20 percentage points lower than the Miami-Dade and Florida state averages. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 28.2% to 36.4% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state and district averages. Nearby schools, such as Somerset Preparatory Academy (Homestead), Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy, and Air Base K-8 Center for International Education, generally perform better on standardized tests and have lower chronic absenteeism rates.

The high percentage of students from low-income families at Leisure City K-8 Center, ranging from 74.43% to 96.03% eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, may present additional challenges that impact academic outcomes. However, the school's relatively stronger performance in End-of-Course (EOC) exams, such as Algebra 1, Biology 1, and Civics, suggests that there may be opportunities to apply successful strategies from those subject areas to improve overall academic achievement. Addressing the high chronic absenteeism rates through targeted interventions and support for students and families could also be a key focus area for the school to improve student learning and engagement.