Overview
The 2024–2025 Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) results for Mater Preparatory Academy in Miami provide a comprehensive overview of student achievement across Grades 3–5 in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. With 177 students participating, the data highlights strong early-grade performance in Math and underscores opportunities for improvement in literacy and reading comprehension.
Participation and Overall Performance
- Math: 177 students tested; 105 students (59%) met or exceeded grade-level standards.
- ELA: 177 students tested; 81 students (46%) met or exceeded grade-level standards.
These figures indicate stronger Math performance across all grades, a pattern consistent with national elementary-level testing trends. Schoolwide proficiency levels are distributed as follows:
- Level 3 or higher: 26%
- Level 2: 26%
- Level 1: 22%
This shows that nearly half of the students are below grade level, emphasizing the need for targeted academic support.
Best-Performing Grade and Subject
Grade 3 Mathematics emerged as the strongest performance area, with 70% of students (43 out of 62) meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations. This reflects strong foundational numeracy instruction and effective early-grade teaching practices.
Subject-Wise Performance Breakdown
1. English Language Arts (ELA)
Across all grades, ELA performance trails Math. Focused interventions in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills are recommended.
Grade 3 ELA
- Proficiency: 41%
- Level 5: 9%
- Level 4: 20%
- Level 3: 24%
- Level 2: 26%
- Level 1: 22%
While 41% proficiency represents a strong foundation, 48% of students scoring in Levels 1–2 reveals a large cohort in need of additional literacy intervention.
Grade 4 ELA
53% of students met the standard — a 12-point gain over Grade 3, suggesting more effective literacy instruction and improved reading fluency in upper-elementary years.
Grade 5 ELA
43% of students met grade-level standards, showing a 10-point decline from Grade 4. The drop suggests challenges in critical reading, written expression, and vocabulary mastery as students transition to middle school.
| Grade | % Met Standard | Key Observation |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 41% | Foundational literacy growing but needs reinforcement |
| Grade 4 | 53% | Improvement evident; teaching strategies effective |
| Grade 5 | 43% | Decline highlights retention and comprehension gaps |
2. Mathematics
Math proficiency outpaces ELA, particularly in lower grades. However, results show a gradual decline as students move to higher grades.
Grade 3 Math
70% met or exceeded standards — the school’s strongest performance. Students displayed confidence in numeracy fundamentals and early problem-solving.
Grade 4 Math
57% met grade-level standards. Though lower than Grade 3, Math performance remains ahead of ELA, reflecting stable quantitative skills.
Grade 5 Math
51% met grade-level expectations, aligning with state averages but signaling a need for support in advanced math reasoning and application.
| Grade | % Met Standard | Key Observation |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 70% | Outstanding early numeracy performance |
| Grade 4 | 57% | Solid achievement, slightly lower than prior grade |
| Grade 5 | 51% | On par with state averages; higher-order skills need focus |
Cross-Grade Comparison
| Subject | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELA | 41% | 53% | 43% |
| Math | 70% | 57% | 51% |
Observation: Grade 3 Math represents the school’s highest success, while Grade 3 ELA remains a priority for foundational literacy improvement. The Grade 5 decline across both subjects points to the need for sustained academic support leading into middle school.
School-Wide Trends and Observations
- Math Dominance: Math proficiency consistently exceeds ELA across all grades, supported by effective early numeracy programs.
- ELA Growth Opportunities: Reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing remain growth areas, particularly in Grade 3.
- Balanced Distribution: Roughly equal proportions of students in Levels 1, 2, and 3 signal a need for differentiated instruction to address diverse learning needs.
Lumos Learning Recommendations for Improvement
- Back-to-School Diagnostic Testing: Identify learning gaps early and tailor interventions to minimize learning loss.
- Diverse Assessment Strategies: Use FAST-like questions, timed activities, and interactive tasks to enhance test familiarity.
- Individualized Study Plans: Build personalized learning pathways aligned to diagnostic results for targeted growth.
- Teacher Professional Development: Implement ongoing PD on data-driven instruction and differentiated learning. Studies suggest a 21 percentile improvement following effective PD.
- Lumos StepUp & Summer HeadStart: Utilize these programs to reinforce core skills year-round and prevent summer regression.
Projected Impact of Lumos Implementation
Based on Lumos Learning’s statewide data, implementing the recommended programs could yield a 7%–17% improvement in FAST performance.
| Subject | Current % | Projected Gain | Potential % After Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 ELA | 41% | +7% | 48% |
| Grade 3 Math | 70% | +17% | 87% |
| Grade 4 ELA | 53% | +9% | 62% |
| Grade 4 Math | 57% | +7% | 64% |
| Grade 5 ELA | 43% | +10% | 53% |
| Grade 5 Math | 51% | +10% | 61% |
Projection: With effective implementation, Mater Preparatory Academy could achieve proficiency rates placing it among the top-performing elementary schools in the Miami-Dade district.
Conclusion
The 2024–2025 FAST results for Mater Preparatory Academy show a strong academic foundation in Mathematics and promising growth in ELA. Continued focus on literacy development, teacher training, and consistent practice will be essential to sustaining academic progress. Through data-driven instruction and targeted interventions, the school is well-positioned for measurable gains in both subjects in the upcoming academic year.