Mater Academy

Q: Is Mater Academy a good school?

Mater Academy ranks 503 rd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Mater Academy is a public charter elementary school in Hialeah Gardens, Florida, serving 1,529 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District, which is ranked 24th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 3-star rating.

Mater Academy consistently outperforms the Miami-Dade and Florida state averages in academic proficiency, with 69% of 3rd-graders proficient in English Language Arts compared to 56% and 55% respectively. The school also has a strong statewide ranking, placing in the top quartile of Florida elementary schools. However, Mater Academy has a significantly higher Hispanic student population (over 98%) and a higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (91.69%) compared to nearby schools.

While Mater Academy's academic performance is impressive, the school faces some challenges. Chronic absenteeism has increased from 6.8% in 2020-2021 to 18.7% in 2022-2023, higher than the nearby James H. Bright Elementary/J.W. Johnson Elementary, Mae M. Walters Elementary School, and other local schools. Additionally, Mater Academy's student-teacher ratio has fluctuated, reaching 26.3 in 2022-2023, higher than the nearby schools, which range from 13.2 to 17.6.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-5

7700 NW 98th St
Hialeah Gardens, FL 33016

(305) 698-9900

District: Miami-Dade

SchoolDigger Rank:
503^rd of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,803

Student/teacher ratio: 26.3

Number of students: 1,517

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

98.4%

African American:

0.7%

White:

0.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 95.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Mater Academy ranks better than 77.7% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 69^th among 281 ranked elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.04. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (98.4%), African American (0.7%), White (0.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 95.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mater Academy is $8,803. 276 elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Mater Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Miami-Dade:

SchoolDigger ranks Miami-Dade 24^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Mater Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	70.17	513^th	1688	69.6%
2007	71.31	505^th	1786	71.7%
2008	82.84	254^th	1789	85.8%
2009	82.90	263^rd	1847	85.8%
2010	78.13	369^th	1919	80.8%
2011	84.24	244^th	1985	87.7%
2012	78.09	395^th	1984	80.1%
2013	79.66	356^th	2029	82.5%
2014	84.04	289^th	2064	86.0%
2016	89.22	165^th	2087	92.1%
2017	72.93	554^th	2112	73.8%
2018	82.70	343^rd	2118	83.8%
2019	82.96	334^th	2182	84.7%
2021	58.75	895^th	2247	60.2%
2022	79.39	426^th	2219	80.8%
2023	65.16	731^st	2240	67.4%
2024	76.04	503^rd	2256	77.7%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Mater Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1999	1	0	0	77	0	n/a	n/a	0	78
2000	10	7	0	376	0	n/a	n/a	0	393
2001	12	12	1	642	0	n/a	n/a	0	667
2002	32	10	2	1075	0	n/a	n/a	0	1119
2003	32	10	2	1075	0	n/a	n/a	0	1119
2004	17	3	2	716	0	n/a	n/a	0	738
2005	10	1	2	703	0	n/a	n/a	0	716
2006	11	2	2	699	0	n/a	n/a	0	714
2007	12	7	0	689	1	n/a	n/a	3	712
2008	10	7	0	679	0	n/a	n/a	2	698
2009	11	5	0	679	0	n/a	n/a	2	697
2010	12	3	0	687	0	n/a	n/a	0	702
2011	10	3	0	725	0	0	0	0	738
2012	11	3	0	736	0	0	0	0	750
2013	10	3	0	736	0	0	1	0	750
2014	8	3	1	733	0	1	1	0	747
2015	16	11	3	1037	0	1	1	0	1069
2016	12	14	3	1085	0	1	2	0	1117
2017	9	13	3	1081	0	1	1	0	1108
2018	6	12	1	1101	0	1	1	0	1122
2019	7	12	1	1149	0	1	1	0	1171
2020	7	11	0	1181	0	0	0	0	1199
2021	6	11	2	1276	0	1	0	0	1296
2022	6	13	2	1263	0	1	0	0	1285
2023	8	14	3	1502	0	1	1	0	1529
2024	9	11	3	1492	0	0	2	0	1517

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mater Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	78	0.0	0.0	21.8
2000	393	0.0	0.0	82.7
2001	667	0.0	0.0	80.8
2002	1119	0.0	n/a	73.2
2003	1119	0.0	n/a	73.2
2004	738	39.0	18.9	76.8
2005	716	37.0	19.4	77.1
2006	714	30.0	23.8	70
2007	712	n/a	n/a	71.7
2008	698	37.5	18.6	69.1
2009	697	35.6	19.6	73.7
2010	702	36.0	19.5	78.3
2011	738	38.0	19.4	35.8
2012	750	43.0	17.4	77.5
2013	750	39.0	19.2	42.8
2014	747	38.0	19.6	90.6
2015	1069	61.0	17.5	90.2
2016	1117	62.0	18.0	91.3
2017	1108	62.0	17.8	90
2018	1122	62.0	18.0	89.2
2019	1171	53.0	22.0	87.3
2020	1199	64.0	18.7	88.5
2021	1296	0.0	n/a	87.9
2022	1285	63.0	20.3	87.1
2023	1529	58.0	26.3	91.7
2024	1517	0.0	n/a	95.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Mater Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	78	0.0	0.0	21.8
2000	393	0.0	0.0	82.7
2001	667	0.0	0.0	80.8
2002	1119	0.0	n/a	73.2
2003	1119	0.0	n/a	73.2
2004	738	39.0	18.9	76.8
2005	716	37.0	19.4	77.1
2006	714	30.0	23.8	70
2007	712	n/a	n/a	71.7
2008	698	37.5	18.6	69.1
2009	697	35.6	19.6	73.7
2010	702	36.0	19.5	78.3
2011	738	38.0	19.4	35.8
2012	750	43.0	17.4	77.5
2013	750	39.0	19.2	42.8
2014	747	38.0	19.6	90.6
2015	1069	61.0	17.5	90.2
2016	1117	62.0	18.0	91.3
2017	1108	62.0	17.8	90
2018	1122	62.0	18.0	89.2
2019	1171	53.0	22.0	87.3
2020	1199	64.0	18.7	88.5
2021	1296	0.0	n/a	87.9
2022	1285	63.0	20.3	87.1
2023	1529	58.0	26.3	91.7
2024	1517	0.0	n/a	95.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mater Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$476 (6.6%)	$6,755 (93.4%)	$7,231
2019	$383 (4.9%)	$7,513 (95.1%)	$7,896
2020	$563 (6.5%)	$8,098 (93.5%)	$8,661
2021	$1,446 (17.8%)	$6,675 (82.2%)	$8,121
2022	$1,165 (13.3%)	$7,588 (86.7%)	$8,753
2023	$557 (6.3%)	$8,247 (93.7%)	$8,803

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mater Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 334^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 731^st of 2240 Elementary schools	17.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mater Academy)	73	67	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	60	56	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mater Academy)	76	84	8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	67	60	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mater Academy)	78	68	10%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	64	62	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mater Academy)	79	66	13%
4th Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	69	65	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mater Academy)	73	74	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	60	59	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mater Academy)	74	64	10%
5th Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	65	54	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Mater Academy)	68	51	17%
5th Grade Science (Miami-Dade)	53	50	3%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1171	1529	30.6%
African American	12	14	16.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	1	3	200%
Hispanic	1149	1502	30.7%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	7	8	14.3%
Two or More Races	1	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	87.3%	91.7%	4.4%

Schools Near Mater Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)						FAST Math (2024)						Statewide Science Science (2024)		EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mater Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	7700 NW 98th St	Hialeah Gardens	33016	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	No	No	Yes	(305) 698-9900	1,517	0	26.3	95.1%	9 (0.6%)	11 (0.7%)	1,492 (98.4%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	76	503^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	77.7%		65.2	731^st of 2240 public elementary schools	67.4%	228	69.0	67.0	64.0				71.0	73.0	70.0				56.0						$8,803	$557	$8,247
Mater Palms Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	7901 NW 103rd St	Hialeah Gardens	33016	Miami-Dade County	Osceola	Yes	No	No	Yes	(407) 390-1106	863	47	18.3	70.2%	160 (18.5%)	62 (7.2%)	605 (70.1%)	11 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	22 (2.5%)	51.8	1050^th of 2256 public elementary schools	53.5%		43.5	1240^th of 2240 public elementary schools	44.6%	190	42.0	58.0	57.0	63.0	48.0	52.0	64.0	55.0	60.0	63.0	55.0	28.0	34.0	40.0	62.0	100.0	100.0	80.0	$8,032	$954	$7,078
Ben Sheppard Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	5700 W 24th Ave	Hialeah	33016	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	Yes	(305) 556-2204	939	59	15.9	64.2%	9 (1.0%)	13 (1.4%)	914 (97.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	47.6	1155^th of 2256 public elementary schools	48.8%		72.5	573^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	74.4%	582	45.0	48.0	50.0				44.0	66.0	64.0				53.0						$12,526	$2,145	$10,381
Marcus A. Milam K-8 Center	Public	PK, KG-8	6020 W 16th Ave	Hialeah	33012	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 822-0301	1,075	59	18.2	60.0%	3 (0.3%)	4 (0.4%)	1,062 (98.8%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27.9	1689^th of 2256 public elementary schools	25.1%		26.9	1684^th of 2240 public elementary schools	24.8%	5	44.0	39.0	39.0	45.0	42.0	33.0	62.0	42.0	35.0	46.0	49.0	59.0	36.0	22.0	90.0		96.0	55.0	$11,677	$1,901	$9,777
John G. Dupuis Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1150 W 59th Pl	Hialeah	33012	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 821-6361	521	34	15.3	65.8%	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	513 (98.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	54.6	980^th of 2256 public elementary schools	56.6%		55.3	961^st of 2240 public elementary schools	57.1%	19	46.0	53.0	53.0				63.0	64.0	65.0				49.0						$14,983	$2,844	$12,139
Meadowlane Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4280 W 8th Ave	Hialeah	33012	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 822-0660	742	43	17.2	66.7%	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	737 (99.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	49.5	1105^th of 2256 public elementary schools	51.0%		61.9	796^th of 2240 public elementary schools	64.5%	309	37.0	50.0	51.0				51.0	63.0	67.0				57.0						$12,277	$2,415	$9,861
James H. Bright Elementary/J.W. Johnson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2530 W 10th Ave	Hialeah	33010	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 885-1683	448	33	13.5	70.8%	2 (0.4%)	14 (3.1%)	432 (96.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16.2	2002^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	11.3%		16.9	1987^th of 2240 public elementary schools	11.3%	15	30.0	23.0	27.0				47.0	45.0	44.0				25.0						$17,174	$3,131	$14,044
Brightview Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	1084 West 23rd Street	Hialeah	33010	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(305) 885-4900	117	6	19.5	2.6%	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	115 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24	1794^th of 2256 public elementary schools	20.5%					(n/a)	21.0	23.0	54.0				21.0	54.0	38.0				54.0						$9,567	$11	$9,557
Mae M. Walters Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	650 W 33rd St	Hialeah	33012	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 822-4600	613	41	14.9	68.8%	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	605 (98.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40.9	1318^th of 2256 public elementary schools	41.6%		42.8	1262^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	43.7%	56	57.0	41.0	39.0				60.0	53.0	54.0				44.0						$12,119	$2,124	$9,996
Palm Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7450 W 16th Ave	Hialeah	33014	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 823-6970	558	39	14.3	60.4%	7 (1.3%)	5 (0.9%)	542 (97.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	39.5	1354^th of 2256 public elementary schools	40.0%		32.1	1551^st of 2240 public elementary schools	30.8%	197	46.0	44.0	42.0				59.0	59.0	41.0				49.0						$13,374	$2,331	$11,042

Frequently Asked Questions about Mater Academy

Is Mater Academy a good school?

Mater Academy ranks 503^rd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Mater Academy?

Students at Mater Academy are 98% Hispanic.

How many students attend Mater Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,517 students attended Mater Academy.

What district is Mater Academy in?

Miami-Dade

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.