Lee Montessori PCS

Lee Montessori PCS is a small Washington, DC public charter district with two elementary campuses—Lee Montessori PCS - Brookland (PK–6, 298 students) and Lee Montessori PCS - East End (PK–4, 246 students)—serving 544 students total. The district ranks 13th out of 46 DC districts (72nd percentile) with a 4-star rating, but that overall strength masks a very large academic divide between the two campuses.

Brookland is the clear academic leader. It holds a 4-star school rating and ranks 38th out of 124 DC elementary schools. In 2025–2026, its ELA proficiency was 51.9%—well above the DC average of 39.6%—and its math proficiency was 33.7%, also above the state average of 28.2%. Fifth-grade ELA is a standout at 72.2%, and 5th-grade science hit 30.77%, far exceeding the DC average of 20.41%. Spending per student ($25,879) and student-teacher ratio (15.2) are nearly identical to East End, so the performance gap is not explained by resources.

East End is significantly behind. Its 2025–2026 ELA proficiency was just 20%, less than half the DC average, and its 2024–2025 math proficiency was only 10.3%. No 2025–2026 math data was reported for East End, leaving a major gap in tracking. The campus has no school-level rank history, unlike Brookland. While both campuses improved in ELA year over year, the gap remains enormous. Math is a consistent weakness network-wide, especially Brookland's 3rd-grade math (12% vs. the DC average of 40.5%). For parents, Brookland offers strong academics, while East End appears to need targeted support in both ELA and math.