Summary:
District of Columbia International School is the lone school in the District of Columbia International School district, a single-school district serving 1,654 students in grades 6–12 in the Washington, DC area. This school stands out as a high performer: its district is ranked 4th out of 46 DC districts for 2025–2026, placing it in the 91st percentile with a 5-star rating. The school itself has climbed from 9th to 7th place among Washington DC high schools over the past three years. Most impressive is its 94.8% graduation rate, far surpassing the DC state average of 78.7%, supported by a low 10.3:1 student–teacher ratio and $22,716 in per-student spending.
In the classroom, English language arts is a clear strength. Overall ELA proficiency is 56.3% versus the state's 39.6%, and grade-level scores improve steadily from 56.1% in 6th grade to 64.5% in 8th grade. English I and II end-of-course exams also beat state averages by 17.0 and 5.5 points. Math is more moderate: overall proficiency is 33.8%, above the state's 28.2%, with middle school math strongest (44.7% in 7th grade). However, Algebra I EOC proficiency fell sharply from 33.2% in 2024–2025 to just 16.8% in 2025–2026, a 16.4-point drop, though it still exceeds the state's 12.0%. Science is a notable weakness, at 13.19% proficiency, essentially tied with the state's 13.4%.
Overall, District of Columbia International School is a strong option for secondary education in Washington DC. Its improving rank, excellent graduation rate, and robust ELA outcomes signal a school that helps students succeed, especially in literacy and on-time graduation. The high per-student investment and small class sizes likely contribute to these results. Yet parents should note that high school math — particularly Algebra I — and science proficiency trail the school's other achievements, suggesting these subjects may warrant additional attention and support at home.
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