The top reported proficiency rate is 86% in Math. The lowest is 63% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mater Gardens Academy
Mater Gardens Academy is a charter school in Hialeah serving kindergarten through fifth grade in practice, though the directory lists grades through eighth. The enrollment data shows students only in the kindergarten through fifth-grade range, with no students reported in grades six, seven, or eight, so the school operates as a K-5 campus for now. It sits in the northwest Hialeah zip code, part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools umbrella as a charter, and draws from a neighborhood that is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with Cuban-American culture shaping much of the daily texture of the surrounding city.
The academic results from Florida's FAST assessments are a genuine strength, particularly in the early grades. Third-grade math proficiency is among the highest a school this type can show, and fourth-grade math is nearly as strong, both well above what most Florida schools report. ELA results follow a similar pattern: third grade is quite strong, and fourth and fifth grades land in a solid range. The one place worth a closer look is fifth-grade math, where proficiency drops noticeably relative to the third- and fourth-grade results. It remains above what one might call a weak result, but the gap is real and a parent sending a child here through fifth grade may want to ask the school what's driving it. Fifth-grade science proficiency comes in at a moderate level, neither a standout nor a concern that demands explanation on its own.
Trend data across years was not available in the data provided, so it is not possible to say whether these results are improving, holding steady, or drifting. That is a reasonable question to put directly to the school.
About a little more than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a middle range for economic mix. IEP and English learner figures were not reported, so those dimensions of student support cannot be assessed here. A parent with a child who has an IEP or English language needs should ask specifically how the school staffs and delivers those services.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, no AP program, and no dual-enrollment pathway. Those metrics simply do not apply here.
The neighborhood context matters for families thinking about where to live. Housing values in this zip code sit well above the Florida state median and considerably above the national median, placing Hialeah in the upper tier for home prices even as values have edged slightly down over the past year. Rents here absorb a substantial share of a typical household's income, reflecting the broader Miami-Dade affordability squeeze. The estimated monthly mortgage on a home at current values requires a meaningful financial commitment.
Hialeah itself is a dense, working city shaped by decades of Cuban-American settlement. The area around NW 178th Lane is in the newer northwestern reaches of the city, away from the historic downtown corridors and closer to the suburban residential grid. The city is publicly reported to be undergoing transit-oriented redevelopment near its rail stations, with several large residential projects in various stages of completion, which signals continued population investment in the area. Industrial zoning and warehouse corridors are part of the city's texture, particularly near rail and highway routes.
At the district level, Miami-Dade voters approved a property-tax increase for teacher compensation and school safety that is set to expire in 2027 without renewal, so homeowners carry that cost through the period. The broader district is also publicly reported to be navigating enrollment declines and considering school closures and consolidations, though Mater Gardens Academy, as a charter, operates somewhat independently of those boundary decisions. Families should confirm directly with the school whether any reassignment or restructuring proposals affect this campus.
The school's programs section was not available in the data, so extracurricular offerings, enrichment programming, and any specialized academic tracks are gaps this narrative cannot fill.
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