Palm Springs Middle School, Hialeah FL

Original Research by School Decision on Palm Springs Middle School

Palm Springs Middle School is a public school serving grades six through eight in Hialeah, part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Its student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, reflecting the neighborhood it sits in — one of the most densely Cuban-American communities in the country, where the rhythms of everyday life are shaped by local culture, small businesses, and a residential density more urban than suburban. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a school population that skews toward working-class and lower-income households. Data on English learner enrollment and students with IEPs was not available in the data provided.

State assessment results from the most recent year show proficiency rates that fall well below Florida statewide midpoints across reading, math, and science at every grade level tested. In English language arts, the gap widens in the upper grades. In math, eighth graders outperform sixth and seventh graders by a meaningful margin, though still below the majority proficient threshold. The eighth-grade statewide science assessment showed results similar to sixth-grade math. Parents who want to understand how these numbers have moved over time should note that multi-year trend data was not available, so it is not possible from this data to say whether performance has been improving, declining, or holding steady. This is worth asking the school about directly.

Chronic absenteeism data and discipline data were not reported in the available records. No information on course offerings, staffing levels, or after-school programs was included in the data, so an assessment of the school's academic program depth is not possible here.

The housing market around the school reflects the broader Hialeah context. Home values sit modestly above the Florida statewide benchmark and close to the national benchmark, though they have slipped slightly year over year. Rents are also slightly lower than recent prior levels. Rent-to-income ratios suggest housing costs consume a meaningful portion of household income for renters in this area, and the estimated monthly mortgage cost for a buyer entering the market at current prices and rates is substantial. Hialeah is actively developing transit-oriented residential projects near its Metrorail and Tri-Rail stations, with several large multifamily buildings publicly reported to be under construction or planned — a signal that the neighborhood's population and housing stock are in a period of change.

At the district level, Miami-Dade voters approved a property tax increase in 2022 to fund teacher pay and school safety staffing, with that higher rate set to expire in 2027 unless renewed. Families buying homes should factor that into ongoing tax cost. More immediately, the district is publicly reported to be confronting sharp enrollment declines, with proposed closures and consolidations of schools across all three regions as of spring 2026. A school board vote was expected by mid-June. Families considering this school should check directly with the district on whether boundary changes or grade-band reconfigurations would affect Palm Springs Middle, as such changes could alter enrollment patterns and the school's configuration.

On cellphone policy, Miami-Dade in 2024 chose a screen-time education approach rather than a phone ban, though publicly reported state legislation in 2025 was moving toward requiring a statewide phone-free school day policy by the end of 2026.

Palm Springs Middle fits squarely into the urban Hialeah community it serves — a compact, culturally cohesive, predominantly Latino neighborhood with good transit access and active redevelopment near rail corridors. The academic results are below state norms by a clear margin, and parents who prioritize tested proficiency will want to ask the school detailed questions about instruction, supports for struggling students, and any programs designed to close those gaps.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 631%

School 31% · District 64% · ▼ 33 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 726%

School 26% · District 54% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 60% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 640%

School 40% · District 63% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 730%

School 30% · District 62% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 60% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Science

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 46% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

This schoolMIAMI-DADE, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income40%Higher-income40%1 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income27%Higher-income34%7 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income26%Higher-income33%7 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income30%Higher-income33%2 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income23%Higher-income30%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income37%Higher-income43%7 pp gap