Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 33196

Zip code 33196 in Miami, Florida, is served by two public middle schools, Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School and Hammocks Middle School, both part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 71st percentile statewide.

There is a clear standout in this area: Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School consistently outperforms Hammocks Middle School across nearly every academic metric. Jorge Mas Canosa ranks in the 64th percentile (3 stars) compared to Hammocks’ 39th percentile (2 stars). The most dramatic difference is in 8th Grade Science, where only 30% of Hammocks students are proficient versus 59% at Jorge Mas Canosa. Both schools excel in advanced coursework, with 100% of students at both schools proficient in Geometry and 96% at Jorge Mas Canosa proficient in Algebra 1. However, Jorge Mas Canosa also leads in Civics (81% vs. 67%) and all grade-level math and English Language Arts assessments. Despite serving a similar demographic—both have around 50% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch—the academic outcomes are starkly different, suggesting school leadership and culture play a major role.

Chronic absenteeism is a shared challenge, with rates of 24% at Jorge Mas Canosa and 25.9% at Hammocks, though both are below the district average of 28.2%. Per-student spending is nearly identical at roughly $13,000, reinforcing that resource allocation, not funding levels, drives the performance gap. For parents, Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School is the clear choice for strong overall academics and advanced exam preparation, while Hammocks Middle School shows significant challenges, particularly in science, that families should investigate further.