The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Math. The lowest is 49% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Fulford Elementary School
Fulford Elementary sits on NE 18th Avenue in North Miami Beach, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The school draws from a community shaped by Latin American and Caribbean culture, active commercial corridors along NE 163rd Street, and a city that has been in a redevelopment cycle for several years, with new mixed-use residential towers rising and a Community Redevelopment Agency scheduled to wind down by 2028.
The student body is majority Black and Hispanic, with a smaller share of white and Asian students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places this school in a high-need economic context. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available in what was provided here.
On Florida's FAST assessments, the picture is mixed and worth parents understanding carefully. Third-grade math proficiency is strong, well above what one would expect given the school's economic context, and comfortably above the midpoint for the state. Fourth-grade math is solid, sitting in a reasonable range. Fifth-grade math drops noticeably, with fewer than half of students reaching proficiency. Reading tells a similar story but at lower levels across all three grades: third-grade ELA lands just above half of students proficient, and fourth and fifth grades fall below that threshold. Fifth-grade science mirrors fifth-grade math and ELA, with roughly half of students reaching proficiency. These results, particularly in the upper elementary grades, are worth asking the school about directly. There may be student mobility patterns, staffing continuity, or other factors the school can speak to that the data alone does not explain.
Multi-year trend data was not available, so it is not possible to say whether performance has been improving, declining, or holding steady. Graduation rates do not apply here because Fulford serves only elementary grades. A comparison of this school's performance relative to other schools in Miami-Dade County was not generated in the data provided.
The housing market surrounding the school reflects South Florida's broader pressure. Home values in the zip code are well above the Florida statewide median and above the national median as well, and they have edged slightly lower over the past year. Rents in the area, by contrast, have ticked upward. Estimated monthly mortgage costs are substantial relative to national median household income, and rent consumes a large share of income by standard affordability measures. Families renting rather than owning face meaningful cost pressure in this location.
North Miami Beach itself is a landlocked city despite its name, divided into thirteen neighborhoods with distinct characters. Daily life is organized largely around driving, with the 163rd Street corridor as the commercial spine. The city operates a free on-demand transit service and a trolley connecting to Miami-Dade Transit, which matters for families without reliable car access. Jackson North Medical Center is the area's anchor employer, and the city has been attracting large residential developments, including a nine-story apartment complex on West Dixie Highway and a recently approved 25-story mixed-use tower on 163rd Street.
At the district level, Miami-Dade voters approved a property-tax measure in 2022 to fund teacher pay and school safety, set to expire in 2027 unless renewed. Homeowners should account for this as an ongoing cost. More pressing for families choosing a school right now is that the district is in the middle of a closure and consolidation process driven by enrollment decline across the system. Multiple schools have been proposed for closure or reconfiguration, including some in the northern region where Fulford is located. Families moving into the area should verify current attendance boundaries and ask the district whether Fulford's assignment zone or grade configuration is expected to change before making housing decisions. The district is also navigating a statewide shift toward restricting student phone use during the school day, with a required policy expected by end of 2026.
See more original research from School Decision →