Summary:
In zip code 33054, there is one middle school, North Dade Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 in the Miami Gardens area as part of the Miami-Dade school district.
North Dade Middle School presents a striking paradox. On one hand, it achieves exceptional results in advanced coursework: 100% of students were proficient in Algebra 1 and 93% in Biology 1, far exceeding district and state averages. On the other hand, the school struggles significantly in standard grade-level subjects, with proficiency rates in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade English Language Arts and Math consistently below average. For instance, only 30% of 8th graders were proficient in Science, compared to 49% in the district. This creates a "school within a school" dynamic, where advanced track students thrive while the general student body lags behind.
The most critical issue is a chronic absenteeism rate of 43.4%, meaning nearly half of students are frequently absent—a rate over 15 points higher than the district average. This likely drives the low core subject scores. Despite spending $14,407 per student, the school ranks in the bottom quartile statewide (24th percentile). While there are signs of improvement, such as 7th grade math proficiency jumping from 41% to 64%, gains are uneven. The school's future success depends on scaling the effectiveness of its advanced programs to all students while urgently addressing the absenteeism crisis.
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