Felix Varela Senior High School

Q: Is Felix Varela Senior High School a good school?

Felix Varela Senior High School ranks 457 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Felix Varela Senior High School is a public high school in Miami, Florida, serving 2,068 students in grades 9-12 and part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District, which is ranked 24th out of 68 districts in Florida.

Felix Varela Senior High School stands out for its consistently high four-year graduation rate of 98.3%, significantly higher than the state and district averages. However, the school faces challenges with a chronic absenteeism rate of 41.5%, notably higher than the state and district. While the school's test scores are generally lower than the state and district averages, it shows strengths in subjects like US History and Biology, with proficiency rates exceeding the state and district. Compared to nearby schools like Miami Arts Studio 6-12 At Zelda Glazer and Terra Environmental Research Institute, Felix Varela lags behind in overall academic performance, but its higher graduation rate is a positive factor.

The school's student population is predominantly Hispanic, making up 91.73% of the student body, with the remaining students being White (4.21%), African American (2.27%), Asian (1.4%), and other races (0.39%). The school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 49.08%, suggesting a higher proportion of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Felix Varela's spending per student has increased over the years, reaching $10,070 in the 2022-2023 school year, higher than the state and district averages, but its student-teacher ratio remains relatively high at 24.9, which may impact the quality of individual attention and support for students.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

15255 SW 96th St
Miami, FL 33196

(305) 752-7900

District: Miami-Dade

SchoolDigger Rank:
457^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,070

Feeder schools for Felix Varela Senior High School:

Elementary:	Dr. Gilbert L. Porter Elementary School
	Kendall Square K-8 Center
	Oliver Hoover Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 24.9

Number of students: 2,068

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

91.7%

White:

4.2%

African American:

2.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 49.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Felix Varela Senior High School ranks worse than 56.6% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 66^th among 102 ranked high schools in the Miami-Dade School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.61. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Felix Varela Senior High School 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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (91.7%), White (4.2%), African American (2.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 49.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Felix Varela Senior High School is 24.9. 69 high schools in the Miami-Dade School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Felix Varela Senior High School employs 83 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Felix Varela Senior High School is $10,070, which is the 59^th highest among 102 high schools in the Miami-Dade School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Felix Varela Senior High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Felix Varela Senior High School 457^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Felix Varela Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Miami-Dade:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Felix Varela Senior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	47.43	277^th	484	42.8%
2005	55.83	227^th	487	53.4%
2006	56.62	217^th	477	54.5%
2007	55.82	251^st	563	55.4%
2008	57.99	249^th	577	56.8%
2009	60.43	246^th	587	58.1%
2010	61.87	246^th	620	60.3%
2011	60.77	261^st	622	58.0%
2012	49.53	241^st	606	60.2%
2013	56.22	233^rd	648	64.0%
2014	50.88	321^st	687	53.3%
2016	44.79	329^th	693	52.5%
2017	42.55	347^th	714	51.4%
2018	42.01	357^th	716	50.1%
2019	37.71	414^th	734	43.6%
2021	35.37	421^st	746	43.6%
2022	35.24	440^th	774	43.2%
2023	39.67	391^st	792	50.6%
2024	36.61	457^th	807	43.4%

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:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Felix Varela Senior High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2001	319	91	36	1663	0	n/a	n/a	0	2109
2002	576	187	87	3643	1	n/a	n/a	0	4494
2003	576	187	87	3643	1	n/a	n/a	0	4494
2004	557	216	96	3785	1	n/a	n/a	0	4655
2005	524	218	86	3460	3	n/a	n/a	0	4291
2006	502	230	92	3348	7	n/a	n/a	0	4179
2007	419	185	98	3018	5	n/a	n/a	46	3771
2008	363	179	88	2894	4	n/a	n/a	63	3591
2009	330	178	85	2699	1	n/a	n/a	75	3368
2010	306	186	84	2483	0	n/a	n/a	15	3074
2011	314	196	73	2455	0	1	14	0	3053
2012	322	173	63	2454	1	1	10	0	3024
2013	309	155	54	2623	3	1	12	0	3157
2014	299	138	56	2662	3	0	11	0	3169
2015	282	104	46	2572	2	1	14	0	3021
2016	239	89	49	2482	1	1	21	0	2882
2017	218	72	41	2426	1	2	22	0	2782
2018	158	76	36	2306	0	1	18	0	2595
2019	131	60	34	2171	0	1	15	0	2412
2020	101	54	31	1999	0	1	8	0	2194
2021	78	51	23	1933	0	3	6	0	2094
2022	77	49	25	1853	0	3	5	0	2012
2023	87	47	29	1897	0	3	5	0	2068

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 Felix Varela Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	2109	90.0	23.4	37.2
2002	4494	181.0	24.8	41.2
2003	4494	181.0	24.8	41.2
2004	4655	179.0	26.0	42.7
2005	4291	185.0	23.2	43.6
2006	4179	182.0	23.0	42.6
2007	3771	169.0	22.3	43
2008	3591	171.0	21.0	40.5
2009	3368	158.1	21.4	49
2010	3074	146.5	20.9	51.7
2011	3053	141.0	21.6	58.1
2012	3024	133.0	22.7	65
2013	3157	134.0	23.5	69
2014	3169	132.0	24.0	70.7
2015	3021	122.0	24.7	71.9
2016	2882	117.0	24.6	71.8
2017	2782	115.0	24.1	67.9
2018	2595	112.0	23.1	64.1
2019	2412	101.0	23.8	66.5
2020	2194	97.0	22.6	64.5
2021	2094	93.0	22.5	73.2
2022	2012	83.0	24.2	73.3
2023	2068	83.0	24.9	49.1

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 Felix Varela Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	2109	90.0	23.4	37.2
2002	4494	181.0	24.8	41.2
2003	4494	181.0	24.8	41.2
2004	4655	179.0	26.0	42.7
2005	4291	185.0	23.2	43.6
2006	4179	182.0	23.0	42.6
2007	3771	169.0	22.3	43
2008	3591	171.0	21.0	40.5
2009	3368	158.1	21.4	49
2010	3074	146.5	20.9	51.7
2011	3053	141.0	21.6	58.1
2012	3024	133.0	22.7	65
2013	3157	134.0	23.5	69
2014	3169	132.0	24.0	70.7
2015	3021	122.0	24.7	71.9
2016	2882	117.0	24.6	71.8
2017	2782	115.0	24.1	67.9
2018	2595	112.0	23.1	64.1
2019	2412	101.0	23.8	66.5
2020	2194	97.0	22.6	64.5
2021	2094	93.0	22.5	73.2
2022	2012	83.0	24.2	73.3
2023	2068	83.0	24.9	49.1

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 Felix Varela Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$485 (6.9%)	$6,594 (93.1%)	$7,079
2019	$609 (8.0%)	$7,034 (92.0%)	$7,644
2020	$415 (5.1%)	$7,782 (94.9%)	$8,197
2021	$958 (11.0%)	$7,716 (88.9%)	$8,675
2022	$1,338 (13.4%)	$8,684 (86.7%)	$10,021
2023	$1,382 (13.7%)	$8,688 (86.3%)	$10,070

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Felix Varela Senior High School

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 414^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 391^st of 792 High schools	7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Felix Varela Senior High School)	51	42	9%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	55	54	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Felix Varela Senior High School)	44	42	2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	53	52	1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Felix Varela Senior High School)	63	55	8%
End of Course Biology 1 (Miami-Dade)	68	65	3%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Felix Varela Senior High School)	65	62	3%
End of Course US History (Miami-Dade)	71	66	5%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Felix Varela Senior High School)	47	34	13%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Miami-Dade)	63	57	6%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Felix Varela Senior High School)	33	30	3%
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	2412	2068	14.3%
African American	60	47	21.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	34	29	14.7%
Hispanic	2171	1897	12.6%
Pacific Islander	1	3	200%
White	131	87	33.6%
Two or More Races	15	5	66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	66.5%	49.1%	17.5%

Schools Near Felix Varela Senior High School

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
School For Advanced Studies - South	Public	11-12	11011 SW 104th St # T-301	Miami	33176	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	No	(305) 237-0510	284	6	47.3	38.4%	20 (7.0%)	5 (1.8%)	240 (84.5%)	18 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)								(n/a)															$11,615	$876	$10,739
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
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 Felix Varela Senior High School

Is Felix Varela Senior High School a good school?

Felix Varela Senior High School ranks 457^th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Felix Varela Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,068 students attended Felix Varela Senior High School.

What schools feed into Felix Varela Senior High School?

Felix Varela Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Dr. Gilbert L. Porter Elementary School
Elementary : Kendall Square K-8 Center
Elementary : Oliver Hoover Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Felix Varela Senior High School?

Students at Felix Varela Senior High School are 92% Hispanic, 4% White, 2% African American, 1% Asian.

What district is Felix Varela Senior High School 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.