Jose De Diego Middle School

Jose De Diego Middle School is a public school in Miami, FL, serving 647 students in grades 6-8 within the Miami-Dade district, located in the Wynwood/Allapattah area where nearly 59% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The most critical challenge facing Jose De Diego is extreme chronic absenteeism, with over 50% of students missing significant school time in the 2023-2024 school year—nearly double the district average of 28.2% and far higher than nearby schools like Shenandoah Middle School (21.9%) or Mater Brickell Academy Middle (18.5%). This absenteeism is directly linked to the school's low academic performance, which has consistently placed it in the bottom 10% of Florida middle schools for the past decade. For example, only 20% of 8th graders were proficient in science, compared to 49% district-wide, and just 32% of 6th graders met math standards versus 67% in the district. However, there is a positive trend: proficiency rates in English and math have been steadily rising since 2022, suggesting recent efforts may be starting to work.

Interestingly, the school shows a "two-tiered" academic environment. While most students struggle, a small group taking advanced high school courses like Algebra 1 and Biology 1 performs exceptionally well, with 88% proficient in Biology 1 (exceeding the state average of 74%). This contrast highlights pockets of excellence amid broader challenges. Notably, Jose De Diego spends $14,281 per student—higher than many higher-performing neighbors like International Studies Charter Middle School ($9,888) or Mater Lakes Collegiate Academy Middle School ($8,663)—indicating that funding alone isn't the issue. The school's turnaround will depend on aggressively tackling absenteeism, as its high spending hasn't yet translated into broad academic success.