The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in Math. The lowest is 10% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Phoenix Academy of Excellence
Phoenix Academy of Excellence is a small charter middle school in Miami's northwest corridor, operating as an alternative school and serving only eighth-graders in the most recent enrollment data, with no sixth- or seventh-grade students reported. The school sits in the 33147 zip code, a predominantly residential area of Miami-Dade County.
The most immediate thing a parent should understand is the school's scale. Enrollment is very small, consisting of a single cohort of eighth-graders. That size shapes everything: peer exposure, course variety, and the breadth of extracurricular life are all constrained in ways that a larger school would not be. Alternative schools like this one are often designed for students who benefit from a different structure or setting than a conventional middle school, though the data does not specify what particular population or instructional model Phoenix Academy of Excellence targets. A family considering this school would want to ask the school directly about its mission, whom it is designed to serve, and what a typical school day looks like.
On student demographics, the school's enrollment is predominantly Black, with a Hispanic minority. The free-and-reduced-price lunch rate is notably low, which stands out relative to many Miami-Dade schools. Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not available.
State assessment results for sixth and seventh grade are suppressed, almost certainly because the enrolled counts in those grades are zero, making reporting impossible. Eighth-grade results are reported for math, ELA, and science on Florida's FAST and Statewide Science Assessment. Across all three subjects, proficiency rates are low. ELA results are especially thin, with only a small fraction of eighth-graders reaching proficiency. Math results are somewhat higher but still well below what most families would hope to see. Science results are similarly modest. Trend data was not available, so it is not possible to say whether performance is improving, declining, or holding steady. A parent would be right to ask the school directly about what academic supports are in place and what outcomes look like for students who complete the program.
No program offerings data was available. No graduation rate applies here, as the school serves only middle-school grades. Chronic absenteeism data was also not reported.
The school operates under the Miami-Dade County Public Schools district umbrella as a charter, meaning it has some operational independence but functions within the broader county context. Miami-Dade is navigating sharp district-wide enrollment decline, and publicly reported information indicates the district has proposed closing or consolidating up to nine schools heading into the next school year, with boundary and grade-structure changes possible. Families new to Miami-Dade should be aware that school assignments and configurations may shift, and it is worth confirming directly with the district and the school that Phoenix Academy of Excellence's status is stable.
The surrounding Miami housing market reflects the broader character of a large, dense urban region. Home values near the school's zip code are above Florida's statewide median and above the national median, and recent trends show modest year-over-year softening. Rents are also elevated relative to income, making the area an expensive place to put down roots. Publicly reported information describes Miami-Dade County as having recently posted one of the larger county-level population declines in the country, driven partly by an immigration slowdown, and district school enrollment has followed a similar downward arc.
The city itself offers substantial civic infrastructure: a layered transit system including Metrorail and the free Metromover, a large public library system, major parks, and neighborhoods with meaningful walkability. For a family already living in Miami, those amenities are background context. For a family relocating and choosing a school as part of that decision, this is a dense urban setting with real neighborhood variation and a housing market that rewards careful local research.
Given the very small enrollment, suppressed data for most grades, low reported proficiency where results exist, and the alternative school designation, a parent should approach this school as a specialized option rather than a general-choice middle school, and should have detailed conversations with school staff about its purpose, its student support model, and whether it aligns with their child's specific needs.
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