Best Schools for Black Students in District of Columbia (2026)

These are the District of Columbia public schools where black students scored highest on the state reading and math tests, ranked by the average of the two proficiency rates. Only schools with at least 20 tested black students are included. The list reflects how students in this group perform at each school; it is not a ranking of schools by their demographic makeup.

Other lists: Asian · Hispanic · Low-income · Multiracial · White

Elementary schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	KIPP DC - Promise Academy PCS Washington	57%	77%	181	A+
2	Key ES Washington	70%	50%	27	A+
3	Mann ES Washington	70%	50%	20	A+
4	KIPP DC - Heights Academy PCS Washington	42%	67%	216	A
5	Shepherd ES Washington	52%	52%	124	A+
6	Hyde-Addison ES Washington	52%	52%	65	A+
7	KIPP DC - Lead Academy PCS Washington	37%	67%	195	A
8	Lafayette ES Washington	45%	55%	52	A+
9	Janney ES Washington	50%	50%	22	B
10	Stoddert ES Washington	50%	50%	20	A
11	Eaton ES Washington	55%	45%	49	B
12	DC Prep PCS - Benning ES Washington	47%	52%	66	A
13	DC Prep PCS - Edgewood ES Washington	45%	55%	58	B+
14	Dorothy I. Height ES Washington	47%	47%	83	B+
15	Sela PCS Washington	35%	55%	38	A
16	KIPP DC - Spring Academy PCS Washington	27%	62%	193	B
17	Friendship PCS - Woodridge International Elementary Washington	35%	55%	34	B+
18	Barnard ES Washington	42%	42%	101	B+
19	Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS Washington	50%	30%	24	B
20	Brent ES Washington	50%	30%	28	A+
21	John Lewis ES Washington	42%	37%	91	B+
22	Friendship PCS - Southeast Elementary Washington	35%	45%	57	B+
23	Murch ES Washington	45%	35%	45	A
24	Seaton ES Washington	35%	45%	48	B+
25	Maury ES Washington	45%	35%	41	B

Middle schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	DC Prep PCS - Edgewood MS Washington	52%	57%	290	A+
2	Deal MS Washington	63%	37%	399	B+
3	Center City PCS - Brightwood Washington	47%	47%	64	A
4	DC Prep PCS - Benning MS Washington	45%	38%	313	B
5	Center City PCS - Congress Heights Washington	42%	37%	129	A
6	KIPP DC - KEY Academy PCS Washington	46%	33%	322	C+
7	Friendship PCS - Woodridge International Middle Washington	42%	37%	208	A
8	Hardy MS Washington	52%	22%	192	B
9	KIPP DC - WILL Academy PCS Washington	37%	33%	304	C
10	Ingenuity Prep PCS Washington	32%	37%	187	C
11	Center City PCS - Petworth Washington	35%	35%	53	B
12	School Without Walls at Francis-Stevens Washington	37%	32%	159	C+
13	Washington Latin PCS - MS Washington	42%	27%	145	A+
14	Friendship PCS - Online Academy Washington	47%	22%	111	B+
15	KIPP DC - AIM Academy PCS Washington	34%	34%	381	C+
16	Stuart-Hobson MS (Capitol Hill Cluster) Washington	47%	15%	349	B+
17	Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS Washington	37%	22%	95	C
18	E.L. Haynes PCS - MS Washington	37%	22%	151	D
19	Capitol Hill Montessori School at Logan Washington	37%	22%	114	B+
20	Center City PCS - Shaw Washington	27%	27%	83	C+
21	Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Middle Washington	26%	28%	302	B
22	KIPP DC - Northeast Academy PCS Washington	31%	21%	310	D
23	Digital Pioneers Academy PCS - Johenning Washington	27%	22%	91	C+
24	Capital City PCS - MS Washington	32%	17%	107	C
25	Jefferson MS Academy Washington	32%	17%	291	C

High schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	Benjamin Banneker HS Washington	98%	82%	90	A+
2	School Without Walls HS Washington	85%	65%	41	A+
3	BASIS DC PCS Washington	67%	42%	148	A+
4	District of Columbia International School Washington	57%	37%	252	A
5	McKinley Technology HS Washington	62%	32%	142	A+
6	Washington Latin PCS - Upper School Washington	75%	10%	31	A+
7	River Terrace Education Campus Washington	30%	50%	25	A
8	Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS Washington	47%	27%	92	B+
9	Duke Ellington School of the Arts Washington	47%	12%	98	A
10	KIPP DC - College Preparatory PCS Washington	32%	27%	218	A
11	Columbia Heights Education Campus Washington	37%	17%	175	B
12	Friendship PCS - Technology Preparatory HS Washington	42%	12%	72	B+
13	Jackson-Reed HS Washington	37%	12%	129	A
14	Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy Washington	22%	—	82	C+
15	Washington Leadership Academy PCS Washington	27%	12%	75	B
16	Paul PCS - International HS Washington	22%	17%	70	B
17	IDEA PCS Washington	22%	12%	61	C+
18	Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts Washington	22%	8%	67	C+
19	Eastern HS Washington	27%	3%	129	C+
20	Cardozo Education Campus Washington	17%	8%	135	C
21	H.D. Woodson HS Washington	17%	8%	91	C
22	The SEED PCS of Washington DC Washington	12%	12%	138	C+
23	Phelps Architecture Construction and Engineering HS Washington	17%	5%	62	B
24	Coolidge HS Washington	15%	5%	38	D
25	Anacostia HS Washington	15%	5%	50	D

Source: U.S. Department of Education EDFacts (state assessment results by student group) via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Small schools report results as ranges; we use the midpoint. Methodology

Best Schools for Black Students in District of Columbia (2026)

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

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