Joella C. Good Elementary School

Joella C. Good Elementary School is a large, high-performing public school in Hialeah, FL, serving 941 students from Pre-K through 5th grade as part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District.

This school stands out for its exceptional academic performance across all subjects, consistently beating both district and state averages in English Language Arts, Math, and Science. For example, 4th graders achieved a remarkable 90% proficiency in Math, far exceeding the district average of 71%. The school has earned a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for four consecutive years and its state ranking has climbed from the 60th percentile to the 86th percentile over the past decade. What makes this even more impressive is that the school achieves these results while spending less per student ($12,699) than many nearby schools that don't perform as well, such as North Glade Elementary School ($15,203) and Lake Stevens Elementary School ($17,030).

Another standout feature is the school's remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of just 15.4%, which is nearly half the district rate of 28.2% and significantly lower than nearby schools like Spanish Lake Elementary School (23.9%) and Miami Gardens Elementary School (24.9%). This suggests a highly engaged student body and effective attendance initiatives. While elite schools like Hive Preparatory School achieve higher test scores, they also have a higher chronic absenteeism rate (23.5%), meaning Joella C. Good may offer a more consistently engaged learning environment. The school's large size (941 students) also proves to be an advantage, as smaller nearby schools with fewer than 300 students tend to have lower academic rankings and higher per-student costs.