Pinecrest Preparatory Academy

Pinecrest Preparatory Academy is a top-performing public elementary school (Grades K-5) in Miami, FL, serving 491 students and ranking in the 97th percentile of all Florida elementary schools—placing it among the top 3% in the state. Part of the Miami-Dade school district, this school stands out for its exceptional academic consistency, particularly in math, where 4th graders achieved a 95% proficiency rate and 5th graders reached 92%—both significantly higher than nearby schools like Academir Charter School West (95th percentile) and Ethel Koger Beckham K-8 Center (92nd percentile). What makes this even more impressive is that Pinecrest achieves these results with a per-student spending of just $10,963, far less than peers like Bent Tree Elementary School ($22,412) or Joe Hall Elementary School ($21,058), demonstrating remarkable efficiency.

One of the most compelling stories is Pinecrest’s dramatic turnaround after the pandemic. In 2020-2021, the school ranked in the 62nd percentile, but it rebounded to the 86th percentile the following year and has now held a 92nd percentile or higher ranking for four consecutive years. This sustained excellence is especially noteworthy given a significant demographic shift: the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch tripled from 20.9% in 2022-2023 to 60.08% in 2024-2025. Despite this change, the school’s academic performance has actually improved, moving from the 96th to the 97th percentile—a powerful sign that the school effectively supports all students, regardless of background.

However, there is one area that stands out as a potential concern: chronic absenteeism. At 20.5% in 2023-2024, this rate is more than double that of its closest high-performing neighbor, Ethel Koger Beckham K-8 Center (8.5%), and higher than Jane S. Roberts K-8 Center (13.9%) and Royal Green Elementary School (9.8%). While still better than the district (28.2%) and state (31.4%) averages, this suggests that while the students who attend regularly are exceptionally well-prepared, the school may have a segment of students facing attendance barriers. For parents comparing Pinecrest to Academir Charter School West (a K-8 school offering advanced middle school courses), the choice comes down to Pinecrest’s unmatched elementary math foundation versus a seamless K-8 pathway with early high school coursework.