Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 33161

There are two middle schools serving grades 6-8 in the 33161 zip code of North Miami, Florida, both part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District.

The standout school in this area is Mater Biscayne Academy North Miami Middle School, which ranks in the top 11% of Florida middle schools (89th percentile) and significantly outperforms its neighbor. In contrast, North Miami Middle School ranks in the bottom 25% of the state (25th percentile). Mater Biscayne Academy posts exceptional academic results, with average ELA proficiency at 81.3% and math proficiency at 84.7%, both well above district and state averages. North Miami Middle School, however, struggles with 51.3% ELA proficiency and 43.0% math proficiency, falling below both benchmarks. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern at North Miami Middle School, where 31.8% of students are chronically absent—double the rate at Mater Biscayne Academy (15.9%).

Interestingly, despite its lower performance, North Miami Middle School spends more per student ($12,086 vs. $11,592) and has a smaller student-teacher ratio (17.6:1 vs. 22.6:1) than Mater Biscayne Academy. This suggests that factors beyond funding and class size, such as school culture and student engagement, are driving the performance gap. Mater Biscayne Academy also has a lower percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch (33.9%) compared to North Miami Middle School (60.5%). For parents, the choice is clear: Mater Biscayne Academy offers a high-performing, well-rounded education, while North Miami Middle School faces significant challenges that impact student outcomes.