Mater Preparatory Academy

Mater Preparatory Academy is a K-8 school in the heart of Miami, FL, serving 367 students within the Miami-Dade district, where over 92% of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

This school tells a story of steady, hard-fought improvement. Over the past five years, Mater Prep has climbed from the 5th percentile in state rankings to the 24th percentile, showing consistent progress. A standout strength is math: in 5th grade, the school's math proficiency rate (67%) actually exceeds both the district and state averages. This is a remarkable achievement given the high level of economic disadvantage. However, there is a significant gap between math and English Language Arts (ELA) performance, with ELA scores lagging behind. For example, 3rd-grade math proficiency (55%) is 17 points higher than ELA (38%). This suggests the school has found effective strategies for teaching math but needs targeted support for reading and writing. Chronic absenteeism, at 32.6%, is a challenge, though it is lower than nearby schools like Citrus Grove K-8 Center (40.6%) and Frederick R. Douglass Elementary (42.2%).

Compared to its neighbors, Mater Prep operates with notable efficiency, spending $10,820 per student—less than the high-performing Ada Merritt K-8 Center ($12,403) and far less than Early Beginnings Academy ($29,408). Interestingly, within the same "Mater" network, Mater Academy East Charter School (with a lower poverty rate of 84.3%) outperforms Mater Prep in most subjects, highlighting the unique challenges of this school's population. For parents, Mater Prep is a school that is clearly moving in the right direction, especially in math, but where literacy support remains a key area for growth.