Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High

Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High is a large public high school in Hialeah, FL, serving 1,367 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Miami-Dade district, where over half of students come from low-income households. The school’s most striking feature is a paradox: while it boasts an exceptionally high graduation rate—consistently above 98% and often reaching 100%—its academic proficiency on standardized tests is very low, with only 27% of students proficient in Algebra 1 and 39% in English Language Arts, far below district and state averages. This suggests the school excels at helping students complete coursework but struggles to ensure they master core academic content.

A major factor behind these low test scores is a critically high chronic absenteeism rate of 50.6%, nearly double the district average and triple that of nearby high-performing magnet schools like Miami Lakes Educational Center (16.1%) and Jose Marti Mast 6-12 Academy (17.0%). These magnet schools, located within 2.5 miles, draw away more academically motivated students, leaving Hialeah-Miami Lakes to serve a student body with higher needs. The school’s state ranking has declined steadily over a decade, from the 46th percentile in 2017-2018 to the 21st percentile in 2025-2026, earning a 1-star rating for three consecutive years.

Interestingly, Hialeah-Miami Lakes spends $13,990 per student—the highest among nearby schools, compared to $11,452 at Jose Marti Mast and $8,962 at Mater Performing Arts & Entertainment Academy—yet this investment has not translated into academic gains. The higher spending likely goes toward interventions like tutoring and counseling to address absenteeism and poverty, but outcomes remain low. For parents, this school offers a strong path to graduation but may require extra support at home to ensure your child is truly prepared for college or career, especially given the systemic academic challenges and high absenteeism.