The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hialeah Middle School
Hialeah Middle School sits on East 7th Avenue in the heart of Hialeah, a densely populated, predominantly Cuban-American city in Miami-Dade County that reads more urban than suburban in texture and feel. The school serves sixth through eighth graders as a regular public school within Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and its enrollment puts it in a mid-sized range for a middle school of its grade band. The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, a reflection of the surrounding community, with a smaller share of Black students and a very small white population. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that economic need is a defining feature of the school's context. Data on English learner and special education populations was not available in what was reported.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed and leans toward soft. In the most recently reported school year, ELA proficiency was roughly similar across sixth and eighth graders, with seventh graders performing somewhat better, but in all three grades fewer than half of students reached the proficiency threshold on the FAST ELA assessment. Math results follow a similar pattern in sixth and seventh grade, sitting just under or just above the halfway mark, but eighth grade math proficiency drops noticeably lower, with fewer than a third of students performing at the proficient level. The one science result reported, for eighth graders on the Florida Statewide Science Assessment, also falls below the halfway mark. These are not strong academic attainment numbers, and parents weighing enrollment may want to ask the school directly about what supports are in place, particularly for students entering with skill gaps and for the eighth grade transition into high school math and science coursework. Year-over-year trend data was not available in what was provided, so it is not possible to say from this data whether results are improving, holding steady, or declining.
No formal program offerings were reported in the data, so information on electives, magnet pathways, dual enrollment, or extracurriculars is simply a gap here. The neighbor comparison for Miami-Dade County was not usable for this school because the comparison set was too small to yield meaningful positioning, so placement relative to nearby schools is not addressed.
The housing market around Hialeah is demanding. Home values in the relevant zip code are well above the Florida state median and roughly in line with or above national figures, and they have held relatively flat over the past year with a very slight dip. Rents are also elevated, and by one affordability measure rent consumes a substantial share of median household income. Families already in the community will recognize these dynamics; those relocating should plan for a tight and expensive market.
The district itself is navigating real upheaval. Miami-Dade County Public Schools has seen substantial enrollment decline, and in spring 2026 publicly proposed closing or merging up to nine schools across the district, with some reconfigured into K-8, 6-12, or K-12 structures. Families new to the area should treat current school assignments as potentially subject to change, and asking the district about boundary stability for this school specifically is a reasonable step before making housing decisions. Separately, a property tax referendum passed in 2022 increased the school tax rate, directing funds toward teacher compensation and campus safety through 2027; that cost continues for homeowners until voters act again. The district is also moving toward a stricter cellphone policy aligned with a state-level push, a detail that affects daily classroom norms.
Hialeah itself is a city in active transition. Publicly reported development near the city's rail stations is bringing new mixed-use residential density, and the transit connections through Metrorail and Tri-Rail are genuinely strong by Florida standards, linking the city to downtown Miami and points north. The cultural character of the city is distinctly Cuban-American, with everyday commercial and social life shaped by that history in ways that feel immediate rather than decorative.
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