Summary:
Zip code 33183 in Miami, Florida, is home to two high schools serving grades 9-12: Miami Sunset Senior High School and Archimedean Upper Conservatory, both part of the Miami-Dade school district.
These two schools present a stark contrast in academic performance. Archimedean Upper Conservatory is an elite, top-performing school, ranking 8th out of 838 high schools in Florida (99th percentile) with a perfect 100% graduation rate and near-perfect test scores, including 100% proficiency in Biology and 96% in 10th Grade ELA. In contrast, Miami Sunset Senior High School is a mid-range school that has been declining, dropping to a 2-star rating and the 44th percentile. Its graduation rate of 90.7% falls below both the district and state averages, and its test scores are significantly lower, such as 46% proficiency in 10th Grade ELA and 58% in Geometry.
Key differences help explain this gap. Archimedean Upper Conservatory benefits from a much lower student-teacher ratio (13.3:1 vs. 19.9:1) and a chronic absenteeism rate of just 15.6%, compared to 32.9% at Miami Sunset Senior High School. Notably, both schools have similar per-student spending (around $13,400-$13,800), showing that funding is not the primary driver of performance. The high chronic absenteeism and declining state ranking at Miami Sunset signal a school in need of support, while Archimedean’s consistent excellence makes it a standout choice for families in the area.
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