John A. Ferguson Senior High

Q: Is John A. Ferguson Senior High a good school?

John A. Ferguson Senior High ranks 147 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

John A. Ferguson Senior High is a public high school in Miami, Florida, serving 4,368 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Miami-Dade school district, which is ranked 24th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, making up over 93% of the school.

John A. Ferguson Senior High stands out for its consistently high graduation rates, ranging from 99.0% to 99.7% over the past five years, significantly higher than the state and district averages. The school's test scores, particularly in subjects like Biology 1, US History, and 10th grade English Language Arts, are also consistently higher than the Miami-Dade district and Florida state averages. However, the school's chronic absenteeism rate has increased in recent years, reaching 30.8% in 2022-2023, though it is still lower than some nearby schools like Bridgeprep Academy Of Village Green Middle High School (37.9%) and G. Holmes Braddock Senior High (44.0%).

While John A. Ferguson Senior High performs well overall, it is outpaced by some of the top-performing nearby schools, such as Terra Environmental Research Institute and Archimedean Upper Conservatory, which consistently rank among the top high schools in the state and have significantly higher test scores in subjects like Geometry, Biology 1, and US History. Additionally, the school's diverse student population, with a high percentage of Hispanic students, is not as pronounced in some of the nearby charter schools, which tend to have a more homogeneous student population.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

15900 SW 56th St
Miami, FL 33185

(305) 408-2700

District: Miami-Dade

SchoolDigger Rank:
147^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,601

Feeder schools for John A. Ferguson Senior High:

Elementary:	Bowman Ashe/Doolin K-8 Academy
	Dr. Manuel C. Barreiro Elementary School
	Jane S. Roberts K-8 Center
	Zora Neale Hurston Elementary School
Middle:	Lamar Louise Curry Middle School
	W. R. Thomas Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 26.7

Number of students: 4,368

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

93.1%

White:

3.3%

Asian:

2.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 48.6%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare John A. Ferguson Senior High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details John A. Ferguson Senior High ranks better than 81.8% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 31^st among 102 ranked high schools in the Miami-Dade School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.3. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at John A. Ferguson Senior High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 John A. Ferguson Senior High has the largest high school student body size in the Miami-Dade School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (93.1%), White (3.3%), Asian (2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 48.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at John A. Ferguson Senior High is 26.7. 79 high schools in the Miami-Dade School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare John A. Ferguson Senior High employs 163 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at John A. Ferguson Senior High is $8,601. 96 high schools in the Miami-Dade School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

John A. Ferguson Senior High was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks John A. Ferguson Senior High 147^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See John A. Ferguson Senior High in the ranking list.)

Miami-Dade:

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

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for John A. Ferguson Senior High.

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Rank History for John A. Ferguson Senior High

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2005	67.86	152^nd	487	68.8%
2006	65.44	155^th	477	67.5%
2007	70.69	150^th	563	73.4%
2008	70.45	144^th	577	75.0%
2009	76.35	118^th	587	79.9%
2010	73.93	147^th	620	76.3%
2011	80.69	101^st	622	83.8%
2012	58.43	171^st	606	71.8%
2013	62.02	183^rd	648	71.8%
2014	63.36	202^nd	687	70.6%
2016	55.28	222^nd	693	68.0%
2017	59.40	183^rd	714	74.4%
2018	62.15	171^st	716	76.1%
2019	66.15	146^th	734	80.1%
2021	58.00	198^th	746	73.5%
2022	66.77	149^th	774	80.7%
2023	71.81	122^nd	792	84.6%
2024	68.30	147^th	807	81.8%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Monday, June 4, 2018

Principal Villalobos is focused only on improving state testing scores and claiming how great a leader he is. The man and the rest of the administration are fakes who care nothing about teachers and students. I have had colleagues who have been let go for not complying with every irrational idea that pops into Villalobos' head. Someone should investigate the school. BTW, the man has never been a teacher. Close Quote

Enrollment information for John A. Ferguson Senior High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	56	10	6	397	1	n/a	n/a	0	470
2005	158	38	25	1267	1	n/a	n/a	0	1489
2006	245	64	44	2239	3	n/a	n/a	0	2595
2007	301	79	65	3145	3	n/a	n/a	36	3629
2008	325	79	72	3559	3	n/a	n/a	45	4083
2009	334	89	68	3609	3	n/a	n/a	51	4154
2010	353	99	87	3639	4	n/a	n/a	4	4186
2011	347	117	83	3732	6	0	4	0	4289
2012	326	111	91	3708	6	0	3	0	4245
2013	300	93	93	3629	12	0	5	0	4132
2014	305	93	88	3732	12	0	4	0	4234
2015	256	90	88	3650	12	0	10	0	4106
2016	244	84	93	3767	10	1	14	0	4213
2017	246	92	104	3842	4	2	14	0	4304
2018	233	90	94	3973	3	1	14	0	4408
2019	238	77	89	3924	3	1	9	0	4341
2020	205	73	96	3837	2	0	13	0	4226
2021	179	62	93	3964	4	2	12	0	4316
2022	159	51	93	3900	4	2	10	0	4219
2023	146	52	86	4065	4	2	13	0	4368

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 John A. Ferguson Senior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	470	28.0	16.8	35.5
2005	1489	67.0	22.2	40.2
2006	2595	114.0	22.8	39.2
2007	3629	174.0	20.9	38
2008	4083	197.0	20.7	36.2
2009	4154	201.7	20.7	39.4
2010	4186	195.0	21.4	47.8
2011	4289	198.0	21.6	54.1
2012	4245	191.0	22.2	57.4
2013	4132	188.0	21.9	60.8
2014	4234	182.0	23.2	60.6
2015	4106	175.0	23.4	65.9
2016	4213	172.0	24.4	66.5
2017	4304	178.0	24.1	64.8
2018	4408	179.0	24.6	59.9
2019	4341	168.0	25.8	63.5
2020	4226	167.0	25.3	60.4
2021	4316	163.0	26.4	69.3
2022	4219	164.0	25.7	71.1
2023	4368	163.0	26.7	48.6

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 John A. Ferguson Senior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	470	28.0	16.8	35.5
2005	1489	67.0	22.2	40.2
2006	2595	114.0	22.8	39.2
2007	3629	174.0	20.9	38
2008	4083	197.0	20.7	36.2
2009	4154	201.7	20.7	39.4
2010	4186	195.0	21.4	47.8
2011	4289	198.0	21.6	54.1
2012	4245	191.0	22.2	57.4
2013	4132	188.0	21.9	60.8
2014	4234	182.0	23.2	60.6
2015	4106	175.0	23.4	65.9
2016	4213	172.0	24.4	66.5
2017	4304	178.0	24.1	64.8
2018	4408	179.0	24.6	59.9
2019	4341	168.0	25.8	63.5
2020	4226	167.0	25.3	60.4
2021	4316	163.0	26.4	69.3
2022	4219	164.0	25.7	71.1
2023	4368	163.0	26.7	48.6

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 John A. Ferguson Senior High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$622 (9.6%)	$5,828 (90.4%)	$6,450
2019	$548 (8.1%)	$6,181 (91.9%)	$6,729
2020	$527 (7.1%)	$6,852 (92.9%)	$7,379
2021	$1,002 (13.0%)	$6,727 (87.0%)	$7,728
2022	$1,221 (14.1%)	$7,420 (85.9%)	$8,639
2023	$1,221 (14.2%)	$7,379 (85.8%)	$8,601

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on John A. Ferguson Senior High

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 146^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 122^nd of 792 High schools	4.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (John A. Ferguson Senior High)	67	68	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	55	54	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (John A. Ferguson Senior High)	68	67	1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	53	52	1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (John A. Ferguson Senior High)	75	75
End of Course Biology 1 (Miami-Dade)	68	65	3%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (John A. Ferguson Senior High)	84	74	10%
End of Course US History (Miami-Dade)	71	66	5%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (John A. Ferguson Senior High)	53	49	4%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Miami-Dade)	63	57	6%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (John A. Ferguson Senior High)	66	53	13%
End of Course Geometry (Miami-Dade)	55	49	6%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	4341	4368	0.6%
African American	77	52	32.5%
American Indian	3	4	33.3%
Asian	89	86	3.4%
Hispanic	3924	4065	3.6%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	238	146	38.7%
Two or More Races	9	13	44.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63.5%	48.6%	15%

Schools Near John A. Ferguson Senior High

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 US History (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 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
John A. Ferguson Senior High	Public, Magnet	9-12	15900 SW 56th St	Miami	33185	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	No	(305) 408-2700	4,368	163	26.7	48.6%	146 (3.3%)	52 (1.2%)	4,065 (93.1%)	86 (2.0%)	4 (0.1%)	2 (0.0%)	13 (0.3%)	68.3	147^th of 807 public high schools	81.8%		71.8	122^nd of 792 public high schools	84.6%	25				67.0	72.0					50.0	66.0	78.0	76.0		$8,601	$1,221	$7,379
Pinecrest Preparatory Academy Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	14901 SW 42nd St	Miami	33185	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	No	No	No	(305) 559-8583	530	12	44.1	58.7%	15 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	510 (96.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	64.7	174^th of 807 public high schools	78.4%		64.1	172^nd of 792 public high schools	78.3%	2				68.0	70.0					67.0	39.0	69.0	86.0		$9,607	$1,228	$8,380
G. Holmes Braddock Senior High	Public, Magnet	8-12	3601 SW 147th Ave	Miami	33185	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	Yes	(305) 225-9729	2,436	109	22.3	57.4%	44 (1.8%)	15 (0.6%)	2,351 (96.5%)	16 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.0%)	9 (0.4%)	47.7	330^th of 807 public high schools	59.1%		47	319^th of 792 public high schools	59.7%	11				48.0	52.0					29.0	42.0	72.0	75.0		$11,116	$1,685	$9,431
Miami Arts Studio 6-12 At Zelda Glazer	Public, Magnet	6-12	15015 SW 24th St	Miami	33185	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	No	(305) 485-2323	1,788	78	22.9	35.2%	61 (3.4%)	8 (0.4%)	1,709 (95.6%)	8 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	89.5	24^th of 807 public high schools	97.0%		89	27^th of 792 public high schools	96.6%	3	91.0	91.0	84.0	87.0	85.0	89.0	84.0	99.0	61.0	99.0	86.0	95.0	91.0	97.0	$9,932	$1,313	$8,620
Felix Varela Senior High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	15255 SW 96th St	Miami	33196	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	No	(305) 752-7900	2,068	83	24.9	49.1%	87 (4.2%)	47 (2.3%)	1,897 (91.7%)	29 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.1%)	5 (0.2%)	36.6	457^th of 807 public high schools	43.4%		39.7	391^st of 792 public high schools	50.6%	66				42.0	48.0					30.0	41.0	56.0	64.0		$10,070	$1,382	$8,688
Miami Sunset Senior High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	13125 SW 72nd St	Miami	33183	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	Yes	(305) 385-4255	1,062	52	20.4	54.0%	52 (4.9%)	25 (2.4%)	970 (91.3%)	7 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.5%)	44.3	376^th of 807 public high schools	53.4%		41.9	369^th of 792 public high schools	53.4%	7				36.0	40.0					56.0	55.0	62.0	77.0		$12,272	$1,858	$10,413
Pinecrest Glades Preparatory Academy Middle High School	Public, Charter	6-12	15250 SW Eighth St	Miami	33194	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	No	No	No	(305) 229-6949	1,097	45	24.3	51.1%	19 (1.7%)	4 (0.4%)	1,063 (96.9%)	9 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	72.9	117^th of 807 public high schools	85.5%		76.4	91^st of 792 public high schools	88.5%	26	78.0	72.0	76.0	69.0	72.0	80.0	74.0	85.0	40.0	75.0	65.0	85.0	74.0	84.0	$8,452	$1,188	$7,264
Archimedean Upper Conservatory	Public, Charter	9-12	12425 SW 72nd St	Miami	33183	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	No	No	No	(305) 279-6572	306	23	13.3	2.9%	27 (8.8%)	10 (3.3%)	233 (76.1%)	33 (10.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	92.2	9^th of 807 public high schools	98.9%		92.5	10^th of 792 public high schools	98.7%	1				89.0	95.0						61.0	100.0	99.0		$10,485	$00	$10,485
Bridgeprep Academy Of Village Green Middle High School	Public, Charter	6-12	13300 SW 120 Street	Miami	33186	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(305) 253-8775	699	0		2.1%	21 (3.0%)	11 (1.6%)	661 (94.6%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31	529^th of 807 public high schools	34.4%					(n/a)	49.0	42.0	43.0	42.0	41.0	31.0	43.0	31.0	24.0	39.0	24.0	54.0	56.0	63.0	$11,706	$00	$11,706
Terra Environmental Research Institute	Public, Magnet	9-12	11005 SW 84th St	Miami	33173	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	No	(305) 412-5800	1,619	66	24.5	32.2%	143 (8.8%)	29 (1.8%)	1,374 (84.9%)	61 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (0.7%)	93.9	4^th of 807 public high schools	99.5%		94.5	5^th of 792 public high schools	99.4%	1				96.0	93.0						98.0	97.0	98.0		$9,597	$1,201	$8,397

Frequently Asked Questions about John A. Ferguson Senior High

How many students attend John A. Ferguson Senior High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 4,368 students attended John A. Ferguson Senior High.

What is the racial makeup of John A. Ferguson Senior High?

Students at John A. Ferguson Senior High are 93% Hispanic, 3% White, 2% Asian, 1% African American.

What schools feed into John A. Ferguson Senior High?

John A. Ferguson Senior High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bowman Ashe/Doolin K-8 Academy
Elementary : Dr. Manuel C. Barreiro Elementary School
Elementary : Jane S. Roberts K-8 Center
Elementary : Zora Neale Hurston Elementary School
Middle : Lamar Louise Curry Middle School
Middle : W. R. Thomas Middle School

What district is John A. Ferguson Senior High in?

Miami-Dade

Is John A. Ferguson Senior High a good school?

John A. Ferguson Senior High ranks 147^th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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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.