The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in Math. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Somerset Academy Charter Middle School (south Homestead)
Somerset Academy Charter Middle School (South Homestead) sits on NE 2nd Road in Homestead, a fast-growing city at the southern edge of Miami-Dade County that serves as a gateway to the Everglades and the Florida Keys. The school is a charter, publicly funded, serving grades six through eight, and it draws from a community shaped by agricultural roots, master-planned suburban expansion, and a downtown core undergoing active revitalization.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, which reflects the broader demographic character of South Homestead. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing this among higher-poverty schools. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available in what was provided, so a parent with children in either population may want to ask the school directly about those support structures.
On Florida's FAST assessments, the picture varies meaningfully by grade and subject. In math, sixth and eighth graders score solidly, with eighth-grade proficiency especially strong relative to what would be typical for a school serving this income profile. Seventh-grade math sits lower. In ELA, sixth and seventh grades land in a middling range, and eighth-grade ELA proficiency falls to roughly half of students meeting the standard, which is worth a conversation with the school about reading and writing supports in that final year before high school. The eighth-grade science result on the Florida Statewide Science Assessment is quite low, well below what you would expect even in a higher-poverty setting, and parents should ask the school directly about science instruction and whether this reflects a new course sequence, staffing changes, or something else. Trend data was not available, so it is not possible to say whether results are improving or declining.
The comparison framework provided covers Miami-Dade County's districts, but the comparison set was too small to generate a meaningful proficiency index position, so no relative standing among county peers could be calculated here.
Program details were not included in the data provided. As a charter school within the Miami-Dade district, it operates under its own governance structure while still participating in district-level policies. Miami-Dade voters approved a property-tax increase in 2022 to fund teacher raises and school safety staffing, and that levy runs through 2027 unless renewed, which is relevant to homeowners in the area. The district is also navigating a real enrollment decline, with school closures and consolidations proposed across the county's south region. Charter schools can be affected differently than district-operated schools in such restructuring, and families new to the area should verify enrollment stability directly with the school.
Homestead itself is a car-oriented city outside its small historic downtown. Most families reach schools, shopping, and employers by car. The city trolley and the South Dade TransitWay provide connections north toward Dadeland, but the daily texture of life here is suburban. Major employers include Homestead Hospital, the Air Reserve Base, Turkey Point, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and a range of construction and service-sector businesses. New residential communities from builders like Lennar and D.R. Horton continue to add housing stock, and the area has seen steady population growth. Home values here sit above the Florida statewide median, and the estimated carrying cost of ownership is high relative to national income benchmarks, though rental costs appear modest compared to the mortgage burden. Renter cost relative to income still runs above what financial planners typically recommend.
For a family weighing this school: the math outcomes, particularly at eighth grade, show real strength. The science and eighth-grade ELA results are soft and warrant direct follow-up. The school's charter structure means enrollment is by choice, so a visit and a set of specific questions about science programming, ELA supports, and transition planning to high school would give a clearer picture than the aggregate data alone can provide.
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