Best Schools for Low-income Students in District of Columbia (2026)

These are the District of Columbia public schools where low-income 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 low-income 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 · Black · Hispanic · Multiracial · White

Elementary schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	KIPP DC - Promise Academy PCS Washington	57%	77%	103	A+
2	Hyde-Addison ES Washington	70%	50%	20	A+
3	Shepherd ES Washington	50%	50%	24	A+
4	KIPP DC - Heights Academy PCS Washington	32%	62%	131	A
5	Whittier ES Washington	47%	47%	84	A
6	KIPP DC - Spring Academy PCS Washington	27%	62%	102	B
7	KIPP DC - Lead Academy PCS Washington	27%	57%	100	A
8	DC Prep PCS - Edgewood ES Washington	30%	50%	28	B+
9	Garrison ES Washington	50%	30%	30	A+
10	KIPP DC - Quest Academy PCS Washington	32%	42%	99	B+
11	Friendship PCS - Southeast Elementary Washington	25%	45%	37	B+
12	Bancroft ES Washington	35%	35%	53	B
13	Dorothy I. Height ES Washington	35%	35%	57	B+
14	DC Prep PCS - Benning ES Washington	35%	35%	38	A
15	Rocketship PCS - Legacy Prep Washington	35%	35%	33	D
16	Payne ES Washington	32%	32%	77	A+
17	Barnard ES Washington	32%	32%	89	B+
18	Brightwood ES Washington	32%	32%	158	C
19	Marie Reed ES Washington	35%	25%	51	A+
20	Ludlow-Taylor ES Washington	35%	25%	37	A+
21	Langdon ES Washington	27%	32%	79	B+
22	John Lewis ES Washington	35%	25%	60	B+
23	Truesdell ES Washington	37%	22%	158	C+
24	H.D. Cooke ES Washington	27%	32%	61	C+
25	Burroughs ES Washington	25%	35%	40	A+

Middle schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	DC Prep PCS - Edgewood MS Washington	42%	42%	105	A+
2	Oyster-Adams Bilingual School Washington	55%	25%	34	B
3	DC Prep PCS - Benning MS Washington	42%	32%	161	B
4	Hardy MS Washington	47%	27%	79	B
5	Ingenuity Prep PCS Washington	32%	37%	119	C
6	School Without Walls at Francis-Stevens Washington	35%	35%	52	C+
7	Friendship PCS - Woodridge International Middle Washington	27%	37%	79	A
8	KIPP DC - KEY Academy PCS Washington	37%	27%	154	C+
9	Center City PCS - Congress Heights Washington	32%	32%	77	A
10	Friendship PCS - Online Academy Washington	47%	15%	61	B+
11	Center City PCS - Petworth Washington	25%	35%	38	B
12	KIPP DC - WILL Academy PCS Washington	32%	27%	146	C
13	KIPP DC - AIM Academy PCS Washington	27%	27%	211	C+
14	Deal MS Washington	32%	22%	100	B+
15	KIPP DC - Northeast Academy PCS Washington	32%	17%	149	D
16	Center City PCS - Brightwood Washington	25%	25%	45	A
17	Center City PCS - Shaw Washington	25%	25%	60	C+
18	E.L. Haynes PCS - MS Washington	22%	22%	130	D
19	Stuart-Hobson MS (Capitol Hill Cluster) Washington	32%	12%	117	B+
20	Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Middle Washington	22%	22%	157	B
21	Friendship PCS - Blow Pierce Middle Washington	22%	22%	175	B
22	Washington Latin PCS - MS Washington	30%	10%	24	A+
23	Capitol Hill Montessori School at Logan Washington	30%	10%	29	B+
24	Center City PCS - Capitol Hill Washington	22%	17%	81	D
25	Howard University MS of Mathematics and Science PCS Washington	27%	12%	130	C+

High schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	Benjamin Banneker HS Washington	90%	90%	20	A+
2	River Terrace Education Campus Washington	50%	50%	20	A
3	BASIS DC PCS Washington	55%	25%	32	A+
4	McKinley Technology HS Washington	55%	17%	59	A+
5	Friendship PCS - Technology Preparatory HS Washington	55%	15%	45	B+
6	Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS Washington	45%	25%	49	B+
7	KIPP DC - College Preparatory PCS Washington	27%	27%	106	A
8	Duke Ellington School of the Arts Washington	45%	5%	43	A
9	Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy Washington	25%	—	59	C+
10	Columbia Heights Education Campus Washington	32%	17%	271	B
11	District of Columbia International School Washington	32%	12%	131	A
12	Jackson-Reed HS Washington	32%	12%	93	A
13	Washington Leadership Academy PCS Washington	25%	15%	46	B
14	Capital City PCS - HS Washington	15%	15%	36	B
15	Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts Washington	25%	5%	39	C+
16	IDEA PCS Washington	25%	5%	51	C+
17	Paul PCS - International HS Washington	17%	12%	66	B
18	Phelps Architecture Construction and Engineering HS Washington	15%	10%	34	B
19	Eastern HS Washington	22%	3%	83	C+
20	Goodwill Excel Center PCS Washington	10%	—	20	D
21	Roosevelt STAY HS Washington	—	10%	18	D
22	Anacostia HS Washington	15%	5%	46	D
23	E.L. Haynes PCS - HS Washington	12%	8%	64	C+
24	H.D. Woodson HS Washington	12%	8%	72	C
25	The SEED PCS of Washington DC Washington	12%	8%	85	C+

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 Low-income Students in District of Columbia (2026)

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

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