Suncoast Community High School is the top magnet school in Greater Miami, according to ranking website Niche.
In its analysis, Niche, as it has in other school rankings reports, weighed a number of metrics – such as academics, quality of teachers, and how parents and students view their overall experience with the institution – to determine where a school belongs on its list. Suncoast Community High School, which came in at No. 1, performed well across the board, receiving the highest marks available for academics, teachers and diversity. A close second was the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.
In Miami-Dade County, there are more than 42,000 students enrolled in magnet programs, and across the nation enrollment is more than double that of charter schools. They’re a popular choice for parents because, as past studies have shown, attending students are less likely to skip classes; have higher educational aspirations than non-magnet students; feel a greater sense of community at school; report more positive intergroup relationships; and feel a stronger sense of safety and belonging.
See below for Greater Miami’s top 10 magnet schools:
| School | City | Academics | Teachers | Experience Surveys** |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suncoast Community High School | Riviera Beach | A+ | A+ | 4 |
| Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts | West Palm Beach | A+ | A | 4.4 |
| William T. McFatter Technical High School | Davie | A | A | 4.3 |
| Coral Reef Senior High School | Miami | A+ | A+ | 4.3 |
| Mast Academy | Key Biscayne | A+ | A | 4.1 |
| Design & Architecture Senior High School | Miami | A | A+ | 4.4 |
| ATC Technical High School | Margate | A | A | 4.2 |
| New World School of the Arts | Miami | A+ | A | 4.4 |
| Pompano Beach High School | Pompano Beach | A+ | A | 4.1 |
| Terra Environmental Research Institute | Miami | A | A | 4.1 |
| **Survey results are based on a five-point scale and come from local parents and students |