Pinecrest Elementary School

Pinecrest Elementary School is a large, high-performing public school in the affluent Miami suburb of Pinecrest, serving over 1,000 students from Pre-K through 5th grade as part of the Miami-Dade district. This school is an academic powerhouse, consistently earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 3% of all elementary schools in Florida, with current proficiency rates soaring from 82% in 5th-grade science to an impressive 96% in 3rd-grade math. A key differentiator is its extremely low economic disadvantage rate, with only about 10% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which is dramatically lower than nearby schools like Ludlam Elementary School (50%). The school also boasts a low chronic absenteeism rate of 12%, far better than the district average of 28%, reflecting strong family engagement and consistent attendance.

While Pinecrest Elementary is elite, it faces interesting local competition. Its closest rival, Sunset Elementary School, has been on a meteoric rise and now outperforms Pinecrest in nearly every subject, ranking 5th in the state compared to Pinecrest’s 32nd. A potential concern for parents is the student-teacher ratio, which has increased to 18.5, higher than Sunset’s 15.2 and Somerset Academy Elementary School (South Miami Campus)’s 15.8. If this trend continues, it could eventually impact the individualized attention that helps drive its high scores.

A fascinating finding is the distinction between Pinecrest Elementary and the various "Pinecrest Academy" charter schools, such as Pinecrest Academy Avalon and Pinecrest Academy Four Corners. Despite sharing the "Pinecrest" name, the traditional public school significantly outperforms these charters—for example, in 5th-grade science, Pinecrest Elementary scored 82% proficient, while Pinecrest Academy Four Corners scored just 39%. This shows that the name is not a reliable indicator of quality. Additionally, Pinecrest demonstrates strong fiscal efficiency, spending $11,824 per student—less than Ludlam Elementary’s $17,446—while achieving top-tier results.