Mater Gardens Academy

Q: Is Mater Gardens Academy a good school?

Mater Gardens Academy ranks 293 rd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Mater Gardens Academy is a public charter elementary school serving 801 students in grades K-8 in the predominantly Hispanic community of Hialeah, Florida. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the Miami-Dade and Florida state averages on standardized tests, ranking in the top 15% of elementary schools statewide.

Mater Gardens Academy's academic excellence is evident across key metrics. In the 2023-2024 school year, 82% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in FAST English Language Arts, compared to just 56% in Miami-Dade and 55% statewide. The school also maintains low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 3.8% to 12.1%, while nearby schools have rates as high as 27.1%. Additionally, Mater Gardens Academy serves a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (20.6%) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 42.59% to 67.2%.

While Mater Gardens Academy outperforms the traditional public schools in the area, the nearby Somerset Academy Elementary (Miramar Campus) and Somerset Academy Miramar South charter schools also demonstrate strong academic results, with some even outperforming Mater Gardens Academy in certain areas. This suggests that the school's success may be attributed to a combination of factors, including its targeted approach to serving its predominantly Hispanic student population and its higher per-student spending compared to the traditional public schools.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

9010 NW 178th Ln
Hialeah, FL 33018

(305) 512-9775

District: Miami-Dade

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,348

Student/teacher ratio: 20.5

Number of students: 801

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

95.8%

White:

2.4%

Asian:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Mater Gardens Academy ranks better than 87% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 44^th among 281 ranked elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.56. (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 (95.8%), White (2.4%), Asian (1.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 20.6% 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 Gardens Academy is $10,348. 242 elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Mater Gardens 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Mater Gardens Academy.

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Rank History for Mater Gardens Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2009	81.42	291^st	1847	84.2%
2010	77.12	391^st	1919	79.6%
2011	80.83	338^th	1985	83.0%
2012	89.96	135^th	1984	93.2%
2013	90.45	136^th	2029	93.3%
2014	90.42	138^th	2064	93.3%
2016	87.81	200^th	2087	90.4%
2017	89.07	172^nd	2112	91.9%
2018	90.50	139^th	2118	93.4%
2019	88.64	195^th	2182	91.1%
2021	84.84	304^th	2247	86.5%
2022	90.98	153^rd	2219	93.1%
2023	89.31	184^th	2240	91.8%
2024	85.56	293^rd	2256	87.0%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, July 16, 2012

My son will be starting Kindergarden in August 2012. So far my experiences have been very good with this school. I love the one on one communications and the curriculum. You can see that they truly care for their students. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, June 19, 2009

Mater Gardens Academy is an exceptional school with very highly motivated teachers, the principal is not only accesible but also very compassionate and dedicated to meeting the needs of all the students Close Quote

Enrollment information for Mater Gardens Academy

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2007	25	6	3	262	0	n/a	n/a	5	301
2008	27	7	3	312	0	n/a	n/a	3	352
2009	25	7	4	300	0	n/a	n/a	3	339
2010	30	10	5	392	0	n/a	n/a	0	437
2011	37	12	5	492	1	0	0	0	547
2012	32	10	6	497	1	0	0	0	546
2013	32	11	6	569	1	0	0	0	619
2014	20	7	6	533	0	0	0	0	566
2015	17	6	5	552	0	0	0	0	580
2016	17	5	3	548	0	0	0	0	573
2017	15	5	5	561	0	0	0	0	586
2018	12	5	5	574	0	0	0	0	596
2019	7	3	8	589	0	0	0	0	607
2020	12	3	10	776	0	0	1	0	802
2021	15	5	11	773	0	0	1	0	805
2022	18	4	9	770	0	0	1	0	802
2023	19	3	11	767	0	0	1	0	801

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 Gardens Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	301	n/a	n/a	37.8
2008	352	19.0	18.5	38.7
2009	339	21.1	16.1	38.7
2010	437	19.5	22.4	27.2
2011	547	26.0	21.0	48.3
2012	546	27.0	20.2	51.1
2013	619	34.0	18.2	17.9
2014	566	14.0	40.4	52.3
2015	580	28.0	20.7	52.8
2016	573	33.0	17.3	23.2
2017	586	36.0	16.2	51.2
2018	596	47.0	12.6	50.8
2019	607	31.0	19.5	48.9
2020	802	40.0	20.0	43.3
2021	805	n/a	n/a	41.9
2022	802	39.0	20.5	63.3
2023	801	0.0	n/a	20.6

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 Mater Gardens Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	301	n/a	n/a	37.8
2008	352	19.0	18.5	38.7
2009	339	21.1	16.1	38.7
2010	437	19.5	22.4	27.2
2011	547	26.0	21.0	48.3
2012	546	27.0	20.2	51.1
2013	619	34.0	18.2	17.9
2014	566	14.0	40.4	52.3
2015	580	28.0	20.7	52.8
2016	573	33.0	17.3	23.2
2017	586	36.0	16.2	51.2
2018	596	47.0	12.6	50.8
2019	607	31.0	19.5	48.9
2020	802	40.0	20.0	43.3
2021	805	n/a	n/a	41.9
2022	802	39.0	20.5	63.3
2023	801	0.0	n/a	20.6

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 Mater Gardens Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$14 (0.2%)	$8,262 (99.8%)	$8,276
2019	$35 (0.4%)	$8,686 (99.6%)	$8,722
2020	$34 (0.4%)	$8,424 (99.6%)	$8,458
2021	$553 (6.6%)	$7,809 (93.4%)	$8,363
2022	$680 (7.3%)	$8,574 (92.7%)	$9,253
2023	$176 (1.7%)	$10,172 (98.3%)	$10,348

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mater Gardens 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 195^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 184^th of 2240 Elementary schools	0.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mater Gardens Academy)	85	81	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	60	56	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mater Gardens Academy)	92	85	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	67	60	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mater Gardens Academy)	72	87	15%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	64	62	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mater Gardens Academy)	75	79	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	69	65	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mater Gardens Academy)	79	84	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	60	59	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mater Gardens Academy)	87	69	18%
5th Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	65	54	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Mater Gardens Academy)	74	61	13%
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	607	801	32%
African American	3	3
American Indian	0	0
Asian	8	11	37.5%
Hispanic	589	767	30.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	7	19	171.4%
Two or More Races	0	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48.9%	20.6%	28.3%

Schools Near Mater Gardens 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 Gardens Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	9010 NW 178th Ln	Hialeah	33018	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	No	No	No	(305) 512-9775	801	0	20.5	20.6%	19 (2.4%)	3 (0.4%)	767 (95.8%)	11 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	85.6	293^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	87.0%		89.3	184^th of 2240 public elementary schools	91.8%	109	82.0	76.0	75.0				80.0	80.0	74.0				55.0						$10,348	$176	$10,172
Palm Springs North Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	17615 NW 82nd Ave	Hialeah	33015	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	No	(305) 821-4631	1,066	63	16.9	57.1%	26 (2.4%)	26 (2.4%)	1,006 (94.4%)	8 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64	771^st of 2256 public elementary schools	65.8%		72.8	562^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	74.9%	209	61.0	58.0	57.0				69.0	62.0	58.0				58.0						$10,471	$1,543	$8,928
Spanish Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7940 NW 194th St	Hialeah	33015	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 816-0300	1,183	69	17.1	61.1%	25 (2.1%)	49 (4.1%)	1,095 (92.6%)	14 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51.5	1055^th of 2256 public elementary schools	53.2%		57.3	908^th of 2240 public elementary schools	59.5%	147	47.0	58.0	41.0				69.0	70.0	57.0				43.0						$12,515	$2,170	$10,345
Bob Graham Education Center	Public	PK, KG-8	15901 NW 79th Ave	Miami Lakes	33016	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	No	(305) 557-3303	1,469	87	16.8	45.9%	49 (3.3%)	58 (3.9%)	1,342 (91.4%)	16 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.3%)	73.7	556^th of 2256 public elementary schools	75.4%		66.8	696^th of 2240 public elementary schools	68.9%	140	78.0	64.0	63.0	63.0	70.0	66.0	82.0	69.0	62.0	75.0	63.0	80.0	49.0	52.0	98.0			83.0	$11,816	$1,779	$10,037
Coral Cove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5100 SW 148th Ave	Miramar	33027	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-7950	495	27	18.3	54.3%	28 (5.7%)	194 (39.2%)	224 (45.3%)	38 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.2%)	82	357^th of 2256 public elementary schools	84.2%		74.5	516^th of 2240 public elementary schools	77.0%	159	69.0	64.0	72.0				74.0	69.0	71.0				80.0						$14,257	$2,822	$11,434
West Lakes Preparatory Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	8435 W 36th Ave	Hialeah	33018	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	No	(305) 827-3025	533	37	14.4	42.6%	22 (4.1%)	29 (5.4%)	460 (86.3%)	22 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	71.9	597^th of 2256 public elementary schools	73.5%		65	737^th of 2240 public elementary schools	67.1%	140	54.0	54.0	69.0	78.0	55.0	54.0	62.0	69.0	66.0	79.0	67.0	50.0	66.0	19.0	66.0	100.0	100.0	73.0	$13,274	$2,198	$11,075
Somerset Academy Elementary (Miramar Campus)	Public, Charter	K-5	12601 Somerset Blvd	Miramar	33027	Broward County	Broward	Yes	No	No	Yes	(305) 829-2406	518	28	18.5	62.2%	39 (7.5%)	130 (25.1%)	324 (62.5%)	18 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.2%)	88.5	218^th of 2256 public elementary schools	90.3%		80.4	400^th of 2240 public elementary schools	82.1%	182	86.0	79.0	75.0				92.0	86.0	82.0				52.0						$9,907	$473	$9,435
Somerset Academy Miramar South	Public, Charter	K-5	12425 SW 53rd St	Miramar	33025	Broward County	Broward	Yes	No	No	Yes	(305) 829-2406	214	13	16.4	48.6%	13 (6.1%)	56 (26.2%)	121 (56.5%)	19 (8.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	99.2	1^st of 2256 public elementary schools	100.0%		99.2	1^st of 2240 public elementary schools	100.0%		100.0	100.0	100.0				100.0	100.0	100.0				93.0						$7,797	$391	$7,406
Joella C. Good Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	6350 NW 188th Ter	Hialeah	33015	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	Yes	(305) 625-2008	942	54	17.4	67.2%	17 (1.8%)	167 (17.7%)	743 (78.9%)	14 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	80.4	396^th of 2256 public elementary schools	82.4%		74	530^th of 2240 public elementary schools	76.3%	134	68.0	70.0	62.0				82.0	77.0	66.0				66.0						$11,104	$1,902	$9,200
Dolphin Bay Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	16450 Miramar Pkwy	Miramar	33027	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-8000	584	34	17.1	57.9%	55 (9.4%)	180 (30.8%)	276 (47.3%)	47 (8.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.3%)	82.1	355^th of 2256 public elementary schools	84.3%		73.8	539^th of 2240 public elementary schools	75.9%	184	66.0	65.0	76.0				70.0	77.0	81.0				70.0						$13,279	$2,692	$10,587

Frequently Asked Questions about Mater Gardens Academy

What is the racial makeup of Mater Gardens Academy?

Students at Mater Gardens Academy are 96% Hispanic, 2% White, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Mater Gardens Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 801 students attended Mater Gardens Academy.

Is Mater Gardens Academy a good school?

Mater Gardens Academy ranks 293^rd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Mater Gardens 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.