Summary:
This analysis examines six elementary schools in the 33155 zip code of Miami, Florida, serving grades PK-5 (with one school extending to 8th grade) and part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District, which holds a 4-star rating.
David Fairchild Elementary School is the clear academic leader, consistently ranking in the top tier statewide with a 5-star rating and test scores far above district and state averages—94% of its 4th graders were proficient in Math in 2025-2026. It also boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (9.3%) and the lowest percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch (18.6%). Emerson Elementary School is a notable improver, jumping from the 64th to the 86th percentile in state rankings over three years. Everglades K-8 Center stands out for its unique K-8 structure and exceptional performance in high school-level exams, with 90% proficiency in Algebra 1 and Geometry. In contrast, Coral Terrace Elementary School faces the most challenges, with the lowest state ranking (52nd percentile) and the highest chronic absenteeism rate (23.2%).
Key metrics reveal wide variation: enrollment ranges from 289 students at Emerson to 912 at Everglades K-8, while per-student spending spans from $14,910 at Coral Terrace to $17,959 at Everglades K-8. Chronic absenteeism is a powerful predictor of performance—the top two schools have the lowest rates, and the lowest-performing school has the highest. Notably, higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes, as David Fairchild, the top-ranked school, has the second-lowest spending. Several schools show inconsistent proficiency across grade levels, such as Banyan Elementary School, where 84% of 3rd graders were proficient in Math but only 52% of 5th graders were. Overall, this area offers a mix of high-performing and struggling schools, with attendance and socioeconomic factors strongly linked to academic success.
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