Summary:
In zip code 33150, there is a single middle school, Horace Mann Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 in El Portal, Florida, as part of the Miami-Dade school district.
Horace Mann Middle School presents a stark contrast in performance. On one hand, its advanced courses are exceptional: 100% of students were proficient in Geometry and 97% in Biology 1 on End-of-Course (EOC) exams, far exceeding district and state averages. On the other hand, the school struggles significantly with grade-level subjects, with only 23% of 8th graders proficient in Science and 27% of 6th graders proficient in Math. This split suggests a highly effective program for top-tier students, but a general education program that is underperforming. The school's state ranking has declined sharply, dropping from the 24th percentile to the 11th percentile in the most recent data, placing it in the bottom tier of Florida middle schools.
A critical red flag is the chronic absenteeism rate of 42.7%, nearly half the student body, which is likely a major driver of the low proficiency scores in core subjects. Despite spending $15,163 per student—a substantial amount—the overall outcomes are poor, raising questions about resource allocation. The school's success is concentrated in high-school-level courses, while foundational middle school knowledge in Science and Civics lags behind. For parents, this means Horace Mann Middle School offers a strong path for advanced learners but faces serious challenges with attendance and general academic support for the majority of its students.
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