Summary:
There are three middle schools serving grades 6-8 in zip code 33015 (Hialeah, FL), all part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 71st percentile statewide.
Mater Academy Lakes Middle School is the standout school in this area, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 79th percentile (254th out of 1,216) statewide. It significantly outperforms the other two schools in core subjects, with 82% proficiency in 8th-grade math and 79% in 8th-grade ELA, compared to Lawton Chiles Middle School (52% math, 50% ELA) and Country Club Middle School (34% math, 36% ELA). Notably, Mater Academy achieves these results despite having the highest student-teacher ratio (22.3:1), the lowest spending per student ($9,832), and the highest percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch (68.16%). In contrast, Lawton Chiles and Country Club spend significantly more per student ($14,663 and $13,844, respectively) with smaller class sizes (17.7:1) but rank in the bottom quarter of Florida middle schools (24th and 12th percentiles).
Chronic absenteeism is a key differentiator: Country Club Middle School has the highest rate at 39.8%, followed by Lawton Chiles at 28.5%, while Mater Academy Lakes has the lowest at 22.4%—below both the district (28.2%) and state (31.4%) averages. An interesting finding is that Lawton Chiles excels in advanced coursework, with 89% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 90% in Geometry, yet struggles in standard grade-level subjects, suggesting a strong program for top students but challenges for the broader student body. Mater Academy Lakes, however, demonstrates consistent excellence across both advanced and standard coursework, defying the typical link between higher poverty rates and lower academic performance.
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