Admissions

MAST Academy

2025-2026 Admissions Criteria and Process

MAST Academy, part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), is a magnet School of Choice. The magnet schools in MDCPS are governed by the regulations set forth by the School Board of Miami-Dade County.

The Maritime & Science Technology Program accepts applications for grades 9-10 from across Miami-Dade County.

The majority of students invited to enroll into the Maritime Science & Technology program will be ninth graders. Qualified students in grade 10 receive enrollment offers on a space-available basis.

The Cambridge International Program accepts applications for grades 6-10 and has as its target population qualified resident student who reside in Key Biscayne. The majority of students invited to enroll will be qualified rising sixth, seventh and eight graders.

CRITERIA and PROCESS

Maritime & Science Technology Program (STEM) Grades 9-10

Cambridge Science & Technology Program (STEM) Grades 9-10
Cambridge Global Studies Program Grades 9-10

Cambridge General Studies Program Grades 6-8

GPA:
2.5 unweighted in core academic subjects
(Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies)

NOTE: Once accepted, students must maintain an unweighted 2.5 GPA in core academic subjects to remain at the school (in any program).

REQUIRED CLASSES (at time of application)

Applicants for grades 6-8:

Must be ready for robust course work across the disciplines, particularly in math and science.

Prerequisite Courses for 9th Grade Admissions:

--Honors Algebra 1

--Honors Physical Science

Prerequisite Courses for 10th Grade Admissions:

--Honors Biology

--Honors Geometry

*Acceptance is provisional until evidence of completed course work and completed FLVS (if applicable) are provided.

Effort Grades:

All effort grades in core academic subject areas must be a "1" or "2" for the previous year and the first grading period of the current year combined.

Conduct:

A minimum of 2.5 Grade Point Average in conduct for the core academic subject areas for the previous year and the first grading period of the current year combined.

Absences:

No more than 10 unexcused absences for the previous year and 5 unexcused absences for the first semester of the current year.

Additional Important Information:

Qualified students who are documented dependents of active duty military, full-time Reserves and honorably discharged Veteran personnel, receive priority status for the random selection.

Younger and older siblings of current students (in grades 9-11) whom meet criteria will received sibling priority based upon the availability of open seats in the grade level for which the student is applying.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS): Students may enroll in Honors Algebra 1, Honors Physical Science, Honors Biology or Honors Geometry via FLVS. The FLVS Cumulative Academic Report document showing at least 30% completion of segment one is required by January 15, 2025.

Current eighth grade students at MAST Academy do not have to reapply for high school.

If an eighth grade MAST Cambridge student is interested in applying to the Maritime & Science Technology program, he or she may apply through the magnet application process and enter the district-wide random selection process. Cambridge students will not lose their seats unless they were accepted and to choose to attend the Maritime Science & Technology program.

Awards, accomplishments, standardized testing and recommendation letter will not be accepted. Do not upload these documents.

Key Biscayne Residents:

--Key Biscayne Residents: qualified students who have a Key Biscayne address at the time of application will have priority access to seats in the Cambridge International programs.

--Key Biscayne applicants must meet all admission requirements.

--Key Biscayne residents must complete all steps of the admissions process.

Key Biscayne applicants, who have a sibling at MAST, must also provide resident documentation for the sibling priority.

Key Biscayne residents must provide two proofs of residency:

A current annual lease agreement, Deed, Homestead Exemption statement or a current mortgage statement plus a current FPL statement (FPL blue/white online copy) or water.
Addendum/extensions must be accompanied by the original lease.
Incomplete documentation will result in loss of the residence priority.

Continuous proof of Key Biscayne residency will be required and requested throughout the enrollment period at MAST Academy (annually).

If the number of qualified Key Biscayne applicants exceeds the number of seats available, these applicants will be entered into a random selection process.

If the number of qualified Key Biscayne applicants does not exceed the number of seats available, all qualified Key Biscayne applicants will be admitted and the remaining seats will be filled by a district-wide random selection process.

PROCEDURE and CHECKLIST:

Step 1: Apply online at www.yourchoicemiami.org. Current M-DCPS students apply on the Parent Portal. Deadline to apply and provide documentation is January 15, 2025. No exceptions.

Please note, a student may only select only one of the four programs at MAST Academy.

Step 2: Upload additional documents to magnet application by January 15, 2025, which includes (where applicable):

Official transcripts for previous school year (private, parochial, international or out -of -district).

Official transcripts or report card for the previous school year
Official current school year transcripts or report card with at least one grading period.
Table of Contents or Course Content for the current year Math and Science courses (private, parochial, international or out-of-district ) for applying to grade 9-10 only. If a non-international transcript reflects the actual course name (e.g. Algebra 1, Physical Science, Biology, Geometry) than a course description is not required. Translated in English if necessary.
If the student currently attends a M-DCPS, however, if did not the previous year, then previous year transcripts/report card are required.

Current M-DCPS students: no transcripts required if a current M-DCPS student, including the previous school year, except FLVS prerequisite course(s) if applicable. If your student was not enrolled in M-DCPS for the

2023-2024 school year, upload the transcript/report card for this year.

FLVS Progress Report: if the student is enrolled in FLVS for any prerequisite course. Students must show they have completed at least 30% of segment one by January 15th, with completion of the full course by

June 13, 2025. The Cumulative Academic Report is located on the “Reports” tab of the FLVS portal. Upload under Virtual School: Proof of Attendance section of the online application. MAST cannot access FLVS transcripts or course histories.

Homeschool parents must also submit appropriate documentation including course description or table of contents from mathematics and science text if applicable.

Active military, full-time Reserves and honorably discharged Veterans: upload orders and dependent documentation under the Military Documentation section of the online application.

Active employees of M-DPCS: complete the employee section.

Complete sibling and multiples (twins, triplets, etc.) if applicable.

Key Biscayne Proof of Residence: upload under the Key Biscayne Proof of Residence section, two proofs of residency to receive priority status. One must be a current annual lease agreement, Deed, Homestead Exemption statement or a current mortgage statement and a utility statement (FPL blue/white online copy or water). Lease extension/addendum MUST include the original lease. Incomplete residence documents will result in loss of the residence priority. Applicants with siblings at MAST must also provide Key Biscayne proof of residence.

Deadline for the application and additional paperwork (if applicable) is January 15, 2025.

No Exceptions

Admissions Contact: Terry Kralievits, Magnet Secretary @ TKralievits@dadeschools.net