The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 37% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ponce De Leon Middle School
Ponce de Leon Middle School sits in Coral Gables, a planned Mediterranean Revival city that is among Miami-Dade's most distinctive communities. The school serves grades six through eight as a regular public school within the Miami-Dade district, drawing from neighborhoods defined by preserved historic architecture, tree-shaded streets, and a housing market that ranks among the most expensive in South Florida. Home values in the zip code are far above both state and national benchmarks, and rents reflect a similar premium, making the area one of the costlier places to buy or rent in the region.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black and white students and very small numbers of other groups. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which means the school serves a economically mixed population despite its wealthy surroundings. Data on English learner rates and students with IEPs was not available in the records reviewed.
On Florida's FAST assessments, the picture is uneven. Sixth graders show majority proficiency in both math and ELA, which is a reasonable starting point entering middle school. By seventh grade, math proficiency drops sharply, well below the majority of students, while ELA sits at roughly half. Eighth grade shows partial recovery in math and ELA, though both remain below six-grade levels. The eighth-grade science assessment, the state's statewide science test, shows fewer than half of students reaching proficiency, with results trailing the other subjects noticeably. These figures are reported for the most recent school year and represent the school's full tested population. A parent who wants to understand the depth of support available for students who are struggling in math especially, or how the school addresses the seventh-grade dip in particular, would benefit from asking the school directly. Trend data was not available to determine whether these results are improving, holding steady, or declining.
Program details were not included in the data reviewed, so it is not possible to characterize elective offerings, enrichment tracks, or extracurricular options from this source.
The comparison data available covers Miami-Dade County districts, but the cohort was too small to produce a meaningful proficiency index ranking, so no relative positioning among county peers is offered here.
The broader Miami-Dade context matters for families considering this school. The district has been experiencing sustained enrollment decline, and in spring 2026 proposed closing or consolidating a number of schools across its three regions, with some reconfigured as K-8, 6-12, or K-12 schools. Families new to the area should ask about boundary stability for Ponce de Leon specifically, since reassignment possibilities are real in this environment. On a separate note, a voter-approved property tax referendum raised the school tax rate for Miami-Dade homeowners and runs through 2027, with renewal uncertain; this is an ongoing cost for property owners in the school's catchment. The district is also navigating a coming statewide cell phone policy that will affect daily classroom rules.
Coral Gables itself offers considerable amenities within reach of the school. The free Coral Gables Trolley connects to Metrorail, the downtown Miracle Mile district brings walkable civic and commercial life close by, and more than sixty parks and open spaces are publicly reported throughout the city. The University of Miami is a major presence just to the south, providing public access to cultural and academic programming. Development in the city is active, with new residential construction underway across several projects, though the city maintains strict design and height standards that preserve its neighborhood character.
Ponce de Leon Middle is a neighborhood public middle school in an affluent, historically rich city where the student population is economically diverse. Its academic results are mixed, with real soft spots in seventh-grade math and eighth-grade science that a parent should look into further. The school has no magnet designation and no program data available here, so families comparing options would want to visit and ask directly about supports and enrichment pathways.
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