Best Schools in Washington, DC
Washington, DC has 303 public schools (40 high, 43 middle, 179 elementary) serving 107,027 students. On average they score 23% on state proficiency tests against a projected 27%, so schools in Washington meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Washington, DC
The top high schools in Washington, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. School Without Walls Hs
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 602 Students
2. Basis Dc Pcs
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Basis Dc Pcs • Charter • Grades 5 - 12 • 663 Students
3. Benjamin Banneker Hs
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 579 Students
4. Washington Latin Pcs - Upper School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Washington Latin Pcs • Charter • Grades 9 - 12 • 377 Students
5. Jackson-reed Hs
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2153 Students
6. Mckinley Technology Hs
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 696 Students
7. District Of Columbia International School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia International School • Charter • Grades 6 - 12 • 1590 Students
8. Duke Ellington School Of The Arts
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 564 Students
9. Bard Hs Early College Dc (bard Dc)
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 424 Students
10. Phelps Architecture Construction And Engineering Hs
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 317 Students
Best Middle Schools in Washington, DC
The top middle schools in Washington, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Deal Ms
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1391 Students
2. Washington Latin Pcs - Ms
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Washington Latin Pcs • Charter • Grades 5 - 8 • 383 Students
3. Washington Latin Pcs - Anna Julia Cooper Ms
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Washington Latin Pcs • Charter • Grades 5 - 8 • 157 Students
4. Hardy Ms
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 571 Students
5. Stuart-hobson Ms (capitol Hill Cluster)
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 464 Students
6. Friendship Pcs - Woodridge International Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Friendship Pcs • Charter • Grades 4 - 8 • 217 Students
7. The Sojourner Truth School Pcs
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
The Sojourner Truth School Pcs • Charter • Grades 6 - 12 • 212 Students
8. Dc Prep Pcs - Edgewood Ms
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Dc Prep Pcs • Charter • Grades 4 - 8 • 318 Students
9. Eliot-hine Ms
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 313 Students
10. Friendship Pcs - Blow Pierce Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Friendship Pcs • Charter • Grades 4 - 8 • 245 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Washington, DC
The top elementary schools in Washington, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Ross Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 171 Students
2. Janney Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 688 Students
3. Stoddert Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 444 Students
4. Lafayette Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 892 Students
5. Brent Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 419 Students
6. Hearst Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 347 Students
7. Murch Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 651 Students
8. School-within-school At Goding
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 326 Students
9. Mann Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 390 Students
10. Key Es
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
District Of Columbia Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 353 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Washington, DC
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Washington, DC has a total population of 6,278,542 with 26% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 91%, and 53% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Washington, DC
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Washington, DC.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
19.79 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
3.16 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
16.62 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Washington, DC.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Washington, DC.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Washington, DC Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Washington, DC
How many schools are in Washington, DC?
Washington, DC has 303 public schools: 40 high schools, 43 middle schools and 179 elementary schools, serving 107,027 students in total.
How do schools in Washington perform on state tests?
On average, 303 schools in Washington score 23% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 27%, so on average schools in Washington meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Washington?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Washington, DC
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 16%
- Projected: 19%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 17%
- Projected: 18%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 19%
- Projected: 23%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 18%
- Projected: 17%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 16%
- Projected: 19%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 69%
- Projected: 48%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 18%
- Projected: 17%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 27%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 75%
- Projected: 50%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 16%
- Projected: 17%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
Every school in Washington
219 of 242 schools in Washington carry a SchoolGrade (23 have no school-level proficiency results in our source data). Grade distribution:
A: 52B: 49C: 50D: 48F: 20
All 242 public schools we grade in Washington. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
All schools, A to Z (242)
- Achievement Preparatory Academy Pcs Wahler Place ES
- Amidon Bowen ES
- Anacostia HS
- Appletree Early Learning Center
- Appletree Early Learning Center
- Appletree Early Learning Center
- Appletree Early Learning Center
- Appletree Early Learning Center
- Appletree Early Learning Center
- Ballou HS
- Ballou Stay HS
- Bancroft ES
- Bard HS Early College Dc Bard Dc
- Barnard ES
- Basis Dc
- Beers ES
- Benjamin Banneker HS
- Breakthrough Montessori
- Brent ES
- Bridges
- Brightwood ES
- Brookland MS
- Browne Education Campus
- Bruce Monroe ES At Park View
- Bunker Hill ES
- Burroughs ES
- Burrville ES
- Capital City Pcs HS
- Capital City Pcs Lower School
- Capital City Pcs MS
- Capital Village
- Capitol Hill Montessori School At Logan
- Cardozo Education Campus
- Cedar Tree Academy
- Center City Pcs Brightwood
- Center City Pcs Capitol Hill
- Center City Pcs Congress Heights
- Center City Pcs Petworth
- Center City Pcs Shaw
- Center City Pcs Trinidad
- Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools For Public Policy
- Cleveland ES
- Columbia Heights Education Campus
- Coolidge HS
- Creative Minds International
- Cw Harris ES
- Dc Bilingual
- Dc Prep Pcs Anacostia ES
- Dc Prep Pcs Anacostia MS
- Dc Prep Pcs Benning ES
- Dc Prep Pcs Benning MS
- Dc Prep Pcs Edgewood ES
- Dc Prep Pcs Edgewood MS
- Dc Scholars
- Dc Wildflower Pcs - The Riverseed School
- Deal MS
- Digital Pioneers Academy
- Digital Pioneers Academy
- District Of Columbia International School
- Dorothy I Height ES
- Drew ES
- Duke Ellington School Of The Arts
- Dunbar HS
- Eagle Academy
- Eagle Academy
- Early Childhood Academy
- Eastern HS
- Eaton ES
- El Haynes Pcs ES
- El Haynes Pcs HS
- El Haynes Pcs MS
- Eliot Hine MS
- Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Pcs Brookland
- Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Pcs East End
- Excel Academy
- Friendship Pcs Armstrong Elementary
- Friendship Pcs Armstrong Middle
- Friendship Pcs Blow Pierce Elementary
- Friendship Pcs Blow Pierce Middle
- Friendship Pcs Chamberlain Elementary
- Friendship Pcs Chamberlain Middle
- Friendship Pcs Collegiate Academy
- Friendship Pcs Ideal Elementary
- Friendship Pcs Ideal Middle
- Friendship Pcs Online Academy
- Friendship Pcs Southeast Elementary
- Friendship Pcs Southeast Middle
- Friendship Pcs Technology Preparatory HS
- Friendship Pcs Woodridge International Elementary
- Friendship Pcs Woodridge International Middle
- Garfield ES
- Garrison ES
- Girls Global Academy
- Global Citizens Pcs
- Goodwill Excel Center Pcs
- Hardy MS
- Harmony Dc Pcs School Of Excellence
- Hart MS
- Hd Cooke ES
- Hd Woodson HS
- Hearst ES
- Hendley ES
- Hope Community Pcs Tolson
- Houston ES
- Howard University MS Of Mathematics And Science Pcs
- Hyde Addison ES
- I Dream
- Ida B Wells MS
- Idea
- Ingenuity Prep
- Inspired Teaching Demonstration
- Jackson Reed HS
- Janney ES
- Jefferson MS Academy
- Jo Wilson ES
- John Lewis ES
- Johnson MS
- Kelly Miller MS
- Ketcham ES
- Key ES
- Kimball ES
- King ES
- Kingsman Academy
- Kipp Dc Aim Academy
- Kipp Dc Arts And Technology Academy
- Kipp Dc College Preparatory
- Kipp Dc Connect Academy
- Kipp Dc Discover Academy
- Kipp Dc Grow Academy
- Kipp Dc Heights Academy
- Kipp Dc Honor Academy
- Kipp Dc Inspire Academy
- Kipp Dc Key Academy
- Kipp Dc Lead Academy
- Kipp Dc Leap Academy
- Kipp Dc Northeast Academy
- Kipp Dc Pcs Legacy College Preparatory
- Kipp Dc Pride Academy
- Kipp Dc Promise Academy
- Kipp Dc Quest Academy
- Kipp Dc Spring Academy
- Kipp Dc Valor Academy
- Kipp Dc Will Academy
- Kramer MS
- Lafayette ES
- Langdon ES
- Langley ES
- Lasalle Backus ES
- Latin American Montessori Bilingual
- Lawrence E Boone ES
- Learn Dc Pcs
- Leckie Education Campus
- Lee Montessori Pcs Brookland
- Lee Montessori Pcs East End
- Lorraine H Whitlock ES
- Ludlow Taylor ES
- Luke C Moore HS
- Macfarland MS
- Malcolm X ES At Green
- Mann ES
- Marie Reed ES
- Mary Mcleod Bethune Day Academy
- Maury ES
- Maya Angelou Pcs - Academy At Dc Jail
- Maya Angelou Pcs HS
- Mckinley MS
- Mckinley Technology HS
- Meridian
- Military Road Early Learning Center
- Miner ES
- Monument Academy
- Moten ES
- Mundo Verde Bilingual Pcs Calle Ocho
- Mundo Verde Bilingual Pcs Jf Cook
- Murch ES
- Nalle ES
- Noyes ES
- Oyster Adams Bilingual School
- Patterson ES
- Paul Pcs International HS
- Paul Pcs MS
- Payne ES
- Peabody ES Capitol Hill Cluster
- Perry Street Preparatory
- Phelps Architecture Construction And Engineering HS
- Plummer ES
- Powell ES
- Randle Highlands ES
- Raymond ES
- Richard Wright Pcs For Journalism And Media Arts
- River Terrace Education Campus
- Rocketship Pcs Infinity Community Prep
- Rocketship Pcs Legacy Prep
- Rocketship Pcs Rise Academy
- Ron Brown College Preparatory HS
- Roosevelt HS
- Roosevelt Stay HS
- Roots
- Ross ES
- Savoy ES
- School Within School At Goding
- School Without Walls At Francis Stevens
- School Without Walls HS
- Seaton ES
- Sela
- Shepherd ES
- Shining Stars Montessori Academy Pcs
- Simon ES
- Smothers ES
- Social Justice
- Sousa MS
- St Coletta Special Education
- Stanton ES
- Statesmen College Preparatory Academy For Boys Pcs
- Stoddert ES
- Stuart Hobson MS Capitol Hill Cluster
- Takoma ES
- Thaddeus Stevens Early Learning Center
- The Childrens Guild Dc
- The Seed Pcs Of Washington Dc
- The Sojourner Truth School
- Thomas ES
- Thomson ES
- Thurgood Marshall Academy
- Truesdell ES
- Tubman ES
- Turner ES
- Two Rivers Pcs 4th Street
- Two Rivers Pcs Young ES
- Two Rivers Pcs Young MS
- Tyler ES
- Van Ness ES
- Walker Jones Education Campus
- Washington Global
- Washington Latin Pcs - Anna Julia Cooper Ms
- Washington Latin Pcs MS
- Washington Latin Pcs Upper School
- Washington Leadership Academy
- Washington Yu Ying
- Watkins ES Capitol Hill Cluster
- Wheatley Education Campus
- Whittier ES
Private schools (61)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.
- Acton Academy Of Washington, Dc
- Aidan Montessori School
- Annunciation Catholic School
- Archbishop Carroll High School
- Ashreinu School For Girls Inc.
- Bishop John T Walker School For Boys
- Bishop John T. Walker School For Boys
- Blessed Sacrament School
- British Int'l Schl Washington
- Broad Branch Children's House
- Capitol Hill Day School
- Capitol Learning Academy
- Christian Family Montessori
- Cornerstone Schools-washington
- District Montessori
- Edmund Burke School
- Franklin Montessori School
- Fusion Academy Wdc: Washington D.c.
- Georgetown Day School
- Georgetown Montessori School
- Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
- Gonzaga College High School
- Holy Trinity School
- Kennedy Institute
- Kirov Academy Of Washington D.c.
- Living Word Christian School
- Lowell School
- Maret School
- Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School
- Model Secondary School For The Deaf
- Montessori School Of Chevy Chase
- Muhammad University Of Islam
- Mysa School
- National Presbyterian School
- New Beginnings Vocational Program Llc
- Our Lady Of Victory School
- River School
- Sacred Heart School
- Sheridan School
- Sidwell Friends School
- Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center
- St Anselm's Abbey School
- St Anthony Catholic School
- St Augustine Catholic School
- St Francis Xavier Catholic Academyool
- St Johns College High School
- St Patrick's Episcopal Day School
- St Patricks Episcopal Day School
- St Peter School
- St Thomas More Catholic
- Templeton Academy
- The Field School
- The French Maternal School
- The Monroe School
- The Preparatory School Of D.c.
- Washington International School
- Washington Jesuit Academy
- Washington School For Girls
- Waterfront Academy
- Whittle School & Studios
- Whittle School And Studios
Neighborhoods and places within Washington (38)
- Adams Morgan
- Anacostia
- Au Tenleytown
- Barnaby Woods
- Brentwood
- Brightwood
- Brookland
- Capitol Hill
- Catholic University Brookland
- Chevy Chase
- Cleveland Park
- Columbia Heights
- Congress Heights
- Deanwood
- Downtown
- Dupont Circle
- Fairlawn
- Foggy Bottom
- Fort Totten Upper Northeast
- Georgetown
- Glover Park
- Hill East
- Ledroit Park
- Lincoln Park
- Logan Circle
- Michigan Park
- Mount Pleasant
- Mt Vernon Square
- Petworth
- Shaw
- South West
- Stadium Armory
- Stanton Park
- Takoma Park
- The Palisades
- U Street Corridor
- Woodley Park
- Woodridge