Find the best schools in Coral Gables
When you’re moving somewhere new, you have enough to think about without worrying about where to send your kids to school. What are the new neighbors like? Did the movers get every box? How long is unpacking going to take? What’s my new commute time like? There are a million different things to think about, and we know this. So, to help you out a little more, we did the research and found the best schools in Coral Gables from greatschools.org, niche.com, and the Florida Department of Education’s school accountability report.
Living in Coral Gables, residents are served by the Miami-Dade public school system and can choose between Miami-Dade’s public district school system, Miami-Dade’s public charter school system, and a few private schools. However, the public schools in Coral Gables are phenomenal, so don’t worry about spending loads of money for your child to get a good education while living in Coral Gables.
The Best Elementary Schools in Coral Gables
The top recommended elementary schools in Coral Gables are the Coral Gables Preparatory Academy, the Henry S. West Laboratory School, and Somerset Gables Academy. All of these schools were rated a 10/10 by greatschools.org. And all received an “A” from the FDOE’s school accountability report. You really can’t talk about a better selection.
The main difference between these schools is what part of Miami-Dade County’s public school system they’re in. Both Coral Gables Preparatory and the Henry S. West Laboratory are a part of Miami-Dade’s public district school system, meaning that students do not have to apply to attend. These schools are essentially regular public schools. However, the Somerset Gables Academy is a part of Miami-Dade’s public charter school system. So while this may be a free charter school, students must apply and be selected to attend.
In terms of academic performance, all of these schools do exceedingly well. They all exceed the state standards in standardized testing by a long haul. In testing scores, Coral Gables Preparatory scored a 78% proficiency in math, an 82% proficiency in English, and a 70% proficiency in science. Meanwhile, Henry S. West Laboratory School scored a 95% proficiency in math, a 95% proficiency in English, and a 94% proficiency in science. And Somerset Gables Academy scored an 83% proficiency in math, an 84% proficiency in English, and a 77% proficiency in science. As you can see, all of these schools are great options for your child’s education.
In addition, all of these schools receive mixed reviews and testimonials from greatschools.org. So, it’s worth going to greatschools.org to read the reviews for yourself and maybe even going to each school's individual website to learn which one may be the best fit for your child.
However, one Henry S. West parent did say, “This is not only a school but a family. There is a strong sense of community and teamwork. I never thought that I could find this in a public school since so many these days have such a large number of students.”
The Best Middle Schools in Coral Gables
The top recommended middle schools in Coral Gables are the Coral Gables Preparatory Academy, the Henry S. West Laboratory School, and Somerset Gables Academy. All of these schools were rated a 10/10 by greatschools.org. And all received an “A” from the FDOE’s school accountability report.
Wait, this sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Well, it should because it’s all the same schools we recommended for the best elementary schools in Coral Gables. The great thing about each of these schools is that they are all PK-8, meaning they are technically combined elementary and middle schools. Each of these schools has a separate elementary and middle school portion, so your child can transition smoothly from elementary to middle school with the same peer group.
We would recommend other middle schools, but these combined PK-8 schools are the best middle schools in Coral Gables. They’re the best options for your child’s education in both the academic and the community sense. To see the testing data for each of these schools refer to our best elementary schools in Coral Gables section above and go to greatschools.org to explore these schools more in-depth.
The Best High Schools in Coral Gables
There are a few high schools in Coral Gables. However, the only one that we recommend is The International Studies Preparatory Academy. This school is rated a 9/10 by greatschools.org and has received an “A” from the FDOE’s school accountability report.
In terms of academic performance, this school does amazing. It exceeds all state standards in standardized testing, scoring a 91% proficiency in United States history, an 84% proficiency in geometry, and a 77% proficiency in biology.
It has also earned the College Success Award for its efforts in preparing students for college and later careers in 2019 and 2020.
However, the International Studies Preparatory Academy receives mixed parent reviews and testimonies from greatschools.org, so it’s worth going to read them for yourself.
But one International Studies Preparatory Academy parent did say, “We like ISPA a lot. I don't understand those bad reviews. And most of the time, when people are not happy they write, when they are happy they don't say anything!!! Most of the students I know at ISPA (and I know many) are very happy there. Many are doing dual enrollment with Miami Dade College or FIU, like my daughter in 9th grade. Some go together in Metrorail after school to the Inter American campus Miami dade College. The sport: You have to know that students are allowed to be part of the sport team at their public homeschool. There are many activities during the school year like picnic, a party for only students at a Dadeland hotel, movie nights at ISPA,... It is a small public school that looks like a private school and it is like a big family,”—which practically tells you everything you’d ever need to know about the school.
Remember, if you’re unsatisfied with any of the options we’ve suggested you can also check out other schools nearby in some of our other city guides.
For more information about each of these schools’ COVID-19 protocols, check out the Miami-Dade County public school website. Also, visit greatschool.org or niche.com for additional parent testimonials and to explore Hialeah schools in more depth. And to see the criteria for Florida Department of Education ratings, go to their website. Note that all quotes listed above come from parent reviews at greatschool.org.
