The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Math. The lowest is 52% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ben Sheppard Elementary School
Ben Sheppard Elementary sits on West 24th Avenue in Hialeah, serving children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular Miami-Dade County public school. Its enrollment is substantial for an elementary school, and the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, reflecting the Cuban-American character of Hialeah itself. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which situates the school squarely within the economic fabric of its surrounding neighborhood. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available in what we reviewed.
On Florida's FAST assessments, the school's math proficiency across tested grades runs in the low-to-mid sixties, which is a reasonable showing and places the school in what looks like a solid middle range for an urban Title I-context elementary. ELA results are more modest, landing around the low fifties across all three tested grades, and fifth-grade science comes in just above half of tested students reaching proficiency. These are not alarming numbers, and the math results in particular show some consistency, but the ELA and science figures are worth a direct conversation with the school about how reading instruction and science exposure progress through the grades. Multi-year trend data was not available, so it is not possible to say whether these results are improving, holding steady, or slipping.
The school is part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, one of the largest urban districts in the country. Two things parents moving into the area should hold clearly in mind. First, the district is experiencing real enrollment decline, and in spring 2026 it was publicly reported to be weighing closures and consolidations of schools across all three regions, with boundary changes and reconfigured grade structures possible. A family settling near Ben Sheppard should ask the district directly whether this school is among those under review and whether the attendance boundary is stable. Second, voters approved a property-tax referendum several years ago to fund teacher pay and school safety staffing, and that additional levy is set to expire in 2027 unless renewed, which is a live question for both homeowners and the district's near-term budget.
Hialeah itself is a densely populated, urban-in-density city with a strongly Cuban-American identity. Daily life runs on cafecitos, local bakeries, and a commercial culture oriented toward small businesses rather than chain-driven suburban strips. The city is in the middle of significant transit-oriented redevelopment near its Metrorail and Tri-Rail stations, converting former warehouse zones into denser residential development with a stated focus on workforce and attainable housing. Publicly reported projects have multiple large apartment buildings under construction or planned, with completions expected in the coming few years. That growth will add residents and children to a city that has, paradoxically, been losing students from its public schools.
Housing near the school is priced below the Florida state median, and values have moved downward over the past year, meaning buyers today face a somewhat softer market than a year ago. Rents have held roughly flat. The price-to-income ratio is still stretched relative to national norms, and estimated monthly carrying costs on a typical home in this zip code are not modest, so affordability is a real consideration for families. The rental share of the housing stock matters here too: rent consumes a meaningful portion of income at current rates, which tracks with what you would expect from a city with a large working-class and immigrant-origin population.
No specific program offerings for Ben Sheppard were available in the data we reviewed, so enrichment programs, specialized pathways, before and after-school care, and extracurricular options are areas to confirm directly with the school. Pre-kindergarten seats are available, which is worth noting for families with younger children who want continuity into kindergarten.
See more original research from School Decision →