Summary:
The three high schools in zip code 33170 (Goulds, Miami) serve grades 9-12 within the Miami-Dade County Public School District, offering a stark contrast in academic focus and performance.
Arthur And Polly Mays Conservatory Of The Arts is the clear standout, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the top 25% of Florida high schools. It boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate and exceptional proficiency in Biology 1 (92%) and Civics (88%), far exceeding district averages. In contrast, Palm Glades Preparatory High School and Academir Preparatory High School struggle, ranking in the bottom third of the state with 1 or 2-star ratings. Palm Glades Prep presents a paradox: despite a high graduation rate (95.8%) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (12.7:1), its test scores are among the lowest in the state, and its chronic absenteeism rate is alarmingly high at 43%. Academir Prep, the smallest school with only 53 students, lacks key data like a graduation rate and student-teacher ratio, making it difficult to assess its overall effectiveness.
Key takeaways for parents include the clear "arts advantage" at Arthur And Polly Mays, where a specialized curriculum drives strong outcomes despite a higher student-teacher ratio. Spending per student does not correlate with success, as Palm Glades Prep spends the most ($15,466 per student) yet performs the worst academically. While Arthur And Polly Mays and Palm Glades Prep have similar socioeconomic profiles (around 54% free/reduced lunch eligibility), their academic results are vastly different, highlighting the impact of school focus and instructional quality over raw resources.
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