Summary:
In the District of Columbia’s Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS district, there is just one school: Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS, a small elementary public charter serving grades PK through 6 with 199 students in Washington, DC.
Because this district contains only one school, its district ranking (43rd out of 46, 0 stars) is identical to the school’s own performance. The school stands out for its Montessori model, very low student-teacher ratio of 10.2:1, and high per-student spending of $27,722 in 2023–2024. However, academic results are well below state averages. In 2025–2026, only 24.5% of students were proficient in ELA (state: 39.6%) and just 12.6% were proficient in math (state: 28.2%). The prior year was even lower, with ELA at 14.6% and math at only 6.4%. The school has improved year-over-year by nearly 10 points in ELA and 6 points in math, yet still trails the DC average by roughly 15 points in both subjects.
The school’s statewide rank has fallen sharply, from 48th out of 97 schools (3 stars, 51st percentile) in 2021–2022 to 106th out of 124 (1 star, 15th percentile) in 2025–2026. Grade-level results for 2025–2026 show 3rd grade ELA at 7.7% proficiency and 4th grade ELA at 12.5%, far below state averages; however, the all-grades ELA score of 24.5% suggests upper elementary students may be performing better. Math remains a serious concern, with 5th grade math at just 9.0% proficiency. Despite ample funding and small classes, the Montessori approach has not translated into strong standardized test performance. Free/reduced lunch data is not reported, making it hard to understand student demographics. For parents, this school offers a distinctive, individualized learning environment, but the low proficiency rates and declining ranking are critical factors to weigh.
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