Enrollment
373
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Miami, FL
Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center
Federal NCES profile for Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120039000407
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools.
- #79 of 161
- schools in Miami · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Florida
- 73.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center has class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center ranks #79 of 161 schools in Miami, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.8%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center
Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Miami, Florida, enrolling 373 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 373 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 505 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #93.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and African American (43%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 187 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students) and Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students) alongside Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center compares
Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.6:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.8% | ▲ 42% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 373 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
373
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Florida - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,258
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 187 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 56.0%
African American 43.2%
White 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.0, Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Miami-Dade, which includes Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center.
$12,258
Per student
+10%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.2%
State 23.3%
Federal 19.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John a. Ferguson Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coral Reef Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Dade Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Miami Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hialeah Gardens Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,291
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,399
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 3,382
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,100
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,009
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~373 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center's federal record.
- Compare Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center against another school. Compare schools
- Miami-Dade's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center
How many students attend Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center?
Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center has 373 students enrolled. It is a public school in Miami, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center is 19.6:1, which is 10% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center?
73.8% of students at Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center?
The largest demographic group at Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center is Hispanic or Latino at 56.0% of enrollment, in Miami, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center?
Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center rank among schools in Miami?
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center ranks #79 of 161 schools in Miami, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Miami on the city page.
Is Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center a good school?
Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Miami-Dade?
Besides Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center, Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students), Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students), and South Dade Senior High School (3,382 students). See the Miami-Dade district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.