Summary:
This analysis examines five elementary schools in zip code 33173 of Miami, Florida, serving grades from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade, representing a mix of traditional public schools and charter academies within the Miami-Dade, Osceola, and Polk districts.
The standout school is True North Classical Academy At Gateway, a 5-star academic powerhouse ranking in the 99th percentile statewide with nearly all test scores in the 90th percentile or higher, the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (8.4%), and the lowest percentage of students on free/reduced lunch (11.71%). Snapper Creek Elementary School is another high-flyer, achieving a 5-star rating and 95th percentile rank while serving a student body where over half qualify for free/reduced lunch, and it boasts the highest per-student spending ($22,083) and lowest student-teacher ratio (10.9:1) in the area. In contrast, the two Bridgeprep charter schools show starkly different results: Bridgeprep Academy Of St.Cloud has improved its ranking to the 39th percentile and shows strong scores in Algebra 1 (80% proficient) and Biology 1 (93%), while Bridgeprep Academy Of Polk struggles with a 1-star rating, a 23rd percentile rank, and an alarmingly high 51.2% chronic absenteeism rate.
A key takeaway is the "spending vs. performance" paradox: Snapper Creek spends the most per student ($22,083) and has the smallest class sizes, yet True North Classical achieves even higher results with much lower spending ($10,149) and a higher student-teacher ratio (22.2:1), suggesting school culture and curriculum are powerful drivers. The zip code also reveals a tale of two districts, as all three Miami-Dade schools are high-performing with 4 or 5-star ratings, while the charter schools from Osceola and Polk districts are low-performing, highlighting the significant impact of district oversight on school quality.
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