Summary:
Zip code 33015 in Hialeah, Florida, is home to two high schools—American Senior High School and Mater Academy Lakes High School—both part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District, serving grades 9 through 12 in a densely populated suburban area.
Mater Academy Lakes High School stands out as the higher-performing school in this zip code, ranking 290th out of 838 schools statewide (65th percentile) compared to American Senior High School's 582nd place (31st percentile). Despite serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (69.86% on free/reduced lunch versus 51.07%) and spending less per student ($10,671 versus $12,379), Mater Academy Lakes achieves significantly better academic results. For example, 75% of its 10th graders are proficient in English Language Arts, compared to just 46% at American Senior High, and it excels in US History with 77% proficiency versus 61%. Both schools boast exceptionally high graduation rates—99.0% at American Senior High and 98.7% at Mater Academy Lakes—well above the district average of 93.1% and state average of 92.2%.
A critical shared challenge is chronic absenteeism, which is alarmingly high at both schools: 52.6% at American Senior High and 46.3% at Mater Academy Lakes, nearly double the district average of 28.2%. This suggests that while students are graduating, many may not be fully prepared for college, as evidenced by the gap between graduation rates and academic proficiency. Math is a particular weakness for both schools, with Algebra 1 proficiency at 45% and 40% respectively, far below the district average of 69%. Overall, Mater Academy Lakes demonstrates a more effective model, achieving stronger outcomes with fewer resources, while American Senior High faces deeper challenges in absenteeism and core subject performance.
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