The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in Science. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Phyllis Wheatley Elementary School
Phyllis Wheatley Elementary sits on NW 1st Place in Miami, a few blocks from the edge of downtown, in one of Miami's older residential neighborhoods. It is a regular Miami-Dade County public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade. The enrollment is very small for a school of its grade range, spread across prekindergarten through fifth grade in roughly even-sized cohorts.
The student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with very few white or multiracial students and no Asian or American Indian students reported. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places this among the more economically concentrated schools in any Miami neighborhood. Data on English learner status and students with IEPs were not available in the data provided.
On Florida's FAST assessments and the statewide science exam, proficiency rates are low across every tested grade. In math, fewer than one in three third graders scored proficient, and fourth and fifth grade rates are similarly below the midpoint. ELA results follow a comparable pattern in third and fourth grade, with fifth grade reading somewhat stronger than the other grades, though still not at the majority of students reaching proficiency. The one relative bright spot is fifth-grade science, where about half of students scored proficient on the statewide assessment. Still, across the board these results are below what would typically represent grade-level attainment, and a parent would want to ask the school directly about intervention programs, instructional supports, and how student progress is tracked year to year. Trend data was not available, so it is not possible from this data to say whether performance is improving, holding steady, or declining.
No program offerings were included in the data, so advanced coursework, enrichment activities, or specialized supports cannot be described here.
The school is part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, one of the largest districts in the country. Two items from the district level are worth a parent's attention. First, the district is experiencing a sustained enrollment decline, and publicly reported district planning as of spring 2026 included proposed closures and consolidations affecting schools across all three regions. Families enrolling now should be aware that school assignments and grade configurations could shift before their child completes elementary school. Second, a voter-approved property tax surcharge currently funds teacher pay and campus security, and that rate is set to expire in 2027 unless renewed, which may affect staffing stability at the school level.
Housing near the school sits in a zip code where values have come down noticeably over the past year and are slightly below the Florida statewide median. Rents have also dipped, though they still consume a high share of a typical household's income relative to national norms. This part of Miami is walkable and transit-connected. The Metromover, which is free, runs through nearby downtown stations, and Metrorail connects to broader Miami-Dade. Bayfront Park, HistoryMiami, and the Miami-Dade main library branch are all within a short reach, and the New World School of the Arts and Miami Dade College's Wolfson Campus are essentially adjacent to this neighborhood.
The neighborhood has a concentrated, urban character. It is not a suburban or outer-ring setting. Families drawn to dense city living with walkable access to transit and civic institutions will find that here. Families expecting a quieter or more campus-like elementary experience will want to visit before deciding.
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