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Duke Ellington School of the Arts

Q: Is Duke Ellington School of the Arts a good school?

Duke Ellington School of the Arts ranks 7 th of 35 District Of Columbia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

7^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 35 District Of Columbia High Schools

Better than 80% of District Of Columbia high schools

Summary

Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a public high school in Washington, DC that serves 579 students in grades 9-12. As a specialized arts school, it offers a unique curriculum and opportunities not available at other high schools in the District of Columbia Public Schools district.

Duke Ellington consistently ranks among the top high schools in DC, typically between 5th and 9th out of 30-34 schools. It has maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past decade and significantly outperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests. For example, in 2024-2025, 56.9% of Duke Ellington students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 42.5% for the district and 37.6% for the state. The school also has consistently high 4-year graduation rates, ranging from 73% to 97.8% over the past 5 years, outperforming the district and state averages.

Duke Ellington's success extends to serving traditionally underperforming student subgroups, ranking among the top schools in the district for African American, Hispanic, and low-socioeconomic status students. The school also has a 5-star rating for its performance with special education and "at-risk" students. While Duke Ellington outperforms many nearby high schools, such as Jackson-Reed High School and Benjamin Banneker High School, these schools also demonstrate strong academic performance and could provide valuable insights into effective practices.

589

Students ?

28.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$35,010

Per pupil spending ?

24%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3500 R St. NW
Washington, DC 20007

(202) 282-0123

District: District of Columbia Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:

66.0%

White:

13.9%

Hispanic:

13.6%

See top rated District Of Columbia high schools

Compare Duke Ellington School of the Arts to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 77th percentile in 2014 → 80th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the District Of Columbia average (38% vs 30% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 20% of District Of Columbia high schools

✓98% graduate in 4 years — above the District Of Columbia average (75%)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Mathematics scores 10 pts below the District Of Columbia average

!Large classes — about 28 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school38%

District avg35%

District Of Columbia avg30%

7^th of 35

District Of Columbia public high schools ?

Top 20%▲ up 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of District Of Columbia High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 16High Schools in the District of Columbia Public Schools

23^rd of 46District of Columbia Public Schools among District Of Columbia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	66.9	7 of 35	80.0%	★★★★☆
2024	55.0	6 of 34	82.4%	★★★★☆
2023	64.0	6 of 34	82.4%	★★★★☆
2022	64.1	5 of 30	83.3%	★★★★☆
2019	63.8	9 of 34	73.5%	★★★★☆
2018	65.4	6 of 34	82.4%	★★★★☆
2017	63.6	8 of 34	76.5%	★★★★☆
2016	62.6	7 of 31	77.4%	★★★★☆
2015	62.5	6 of 29	79.3%	★★★★☆
2014	85.6	8 of 35	77.1%	★★★★☆
2012	80.1	7 of 31	77.4%	★★★★☆
2011	88.8	6 of 31	80.6%	★★★★☆
2010	85.2	6 of 30	80.0%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	71.8	5 of 32	84.4%	★★★★☆
2024	46.5	6 of 28	78.6%	★★★★☆
2023	55.6	5 of 27	81.5%	★★★★☆
2022	65.2	5 of 18	72.2%	★★★★☆
2019	66.0	7 of 33	78.8%	★★★★☆
2018	73.4	7 of 34	79.4%	★★★★☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2022	98.7	1 of 19	94.7%	★★★★★
2019	62.8	6 of 31	80.6%	★★★★☆
2018	61.5	7 of 33	78.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	64.9	9 of 31	71.0%	★★★★☆
2018	68.1	8 of 32	75.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	69.6	4 of 14	71.4%	★★★★☆
2024	70.8	4 of 13	69.2%	★★★★☆
2023	65.1	4 of 13	69.2%	★★★★☆
2019	47.4	5 of 13	61.5%	★★★★☆
2018	60.3	2 of 11	81.8%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	71.3	3 of 32	90.6%	★★★★★
2024	52.5	7 of 28	75.0%	★★★★☆
2023	59.6	4 of 30	86.7%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	56.0	9 of 32	71.9%	★★★★☆
2018	61.6	7 of 33	78.8%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	68.6	4 of 10	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	91.5	1 of 10	90.0%	★★★★★
2022	99.5	1 of 4	75.0%	★★★★★
2018	74.5	3 of 26	88.5%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	46.1	4 of 5	20.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	29.9	6 of 7	14.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.7	4 of 6	33.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.5	3 of 5	40.0%	★★★★☆
2019	37.3	4 of 6	33.3%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

At Risk (2022)95th percentile+11 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)91st percentile+11 vs school

African American (2025)84th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2019)72nd percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)71st percentile-9 vs school

Female (2019)71st percentile-3 vs school

Special Education (2025)60th percentile-20 vs school

White (2025)20th percentile-60 vs school

By subject vs District Of Columbia (2024-2025) ?

English II61%+23 vs state

English Language Arts57%+19 vs state

English I52%+14 vs state

Geometry23%+9 vs state

Mathematics16%-10 vs state

Science9%~ state avg

Algebra I7%-6 vs state

★

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Schools Near Duke Ellington School of the Arts

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				DC Science Science (2025)				DC CAPE English Language Arts (2025)					DC CAPE Mathematics (2025)					DC CAPE English II (2025)	DC CAPE Algebra II (2025)	DC CAPE Algebra I (2025)	DC CAPE Geometry (2025)	DC CAPE English I (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	DC Science Science 5th Grade	DC Science Science 8th Grade	DC Science Science End of Course	DC Science Science All Grades	DC CAPE English Language Arts 5th Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 6th Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 7th Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 8th Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts All Grades	DC CAPE Mathematics 5th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 6th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 7th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 8th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics All Grades	DC CAPE English II End of Course	DC CAPE Algebra II End of Course	DC CAPE Algebra I End of Course	DC CAPE Geometry End of Course	DC CAPE English I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Duke Ellington School of the Arts	Public	9-12	3500 R St. NW	Washington	20007	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 282-0123	589	21	28.0		82 (13.9%)	389 (66.0%)	80 (13.6%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.2%)	66.9	7^th of 35 public high schools	80.0%		55	6^th of 34 public high schools	82.4%	1			9.3						56.9					16.0	61.4		7.1	23.4	52.3	$35,010	$4,018	$30,992
School Without Walls High School	Public	9-12	2130 G St. NW	Washington	20037	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 645-9690	606	38	16.1		296 (48.8%)	138 (22.8%)	78 (12.9%)	31 (5.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (9.4%)	99.4	1^st of 35 public high schools	97.1%		92.9	2^nd of 34 public high schools	94.1%	1			70.6											75.3			55.5	72.6		$33,484	$3,826	$29,659
Goodwill Excel Center PCS	Public, Charter	9-12	1776 G Street NW	Washington	20006	District Of Columbia	Goodwill Excel Center PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 839-3650	440	29	15.1		2 (0.5%)	413 (93.9%)	20 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)								(n/a)																				$25,051	$62	$24,989
Columbia Heights Education Campus	Public	6-12	3101 16th St. NW	Washington	20010	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 939-7700	1,563	149	10.4		14 (0.9%)	445 (28.5%)	1,070 (68.5%)	21 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	11 (0.7%)	38.2	17^th of 35 public high schools	51.4%		28.9	21^st of 34 public high schools	38.2%	4		1.7	1.2	1.4		31.6	36.6	33.9	33.0		29.3	12.3		11.2	32.5			3.6	31.5	$31,052	$4,969	$26,083
Cardozo Education Campus	Public	6-12	1200 Clifton St. NW	Washington	20009	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 673-7385	710	78	9.0		6 (0.8%)	334 (47.0%)	356 (50.1%)	10 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	20.7	31^st of 35 public high schools	11.4%		24.8	27^th of 34 public high schools	20.6%	4				1.2		6.9	18.6	13.3	15.0					2.4	18.3			1.6	11.6	$33,292	$4,525	$28,768
Garnet-Patterson STAY High School	Public	9-12	2001 10th St NW	Washington	20001	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 576-8399	432	51	8.4		1 (0.2%)	261 (60.4%)	164 (38.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)								(n/a)									14.3											$22,638	$4,100	$18,537
Benjamin Banneker High School	Public	9-12	1600 9th St. NW	Washington	20001	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 671-6320	703	43	16.3		65 (9.2%)	482 (68.6%)	122 (17.4%)	11 (1.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.1%)	93.4	3^rd of 35 public high schools	91.4%		88	3^rd of 34 public high schools	91.2%				32.8						92.3					60.9	90.3		73.0	53.2	94.7	$21,072	$4,233	$16,838
Jackson-Reed High School	Public	9-12	3950 Chesapeake St. NW	Washington	20016	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 282-0120	1,855	136	13.6		672 (36.2%)	487 (26.3%)	476 (25.7%)	105 (5.7%)	4 (0.2%)	4 (0.2%)	104 (5.6%)	80.3	5^th of 35 public high schools	85.7%		54.6	7^th of 34 public high schools	79.4%	2			28.1						69.9					36.2	67.3	92.1	16.9	39.9	72.3	$26,132	$4,089	$22,043
Girls Global Academy PCS	Public, Charter	9-12	733 8th Street NW	Washington	20001	District Of Columbia	Girls Global Academy PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 600-4822	183	26	7.1		1 (0.5%)	153 (83.6%)	23 (12.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)	35.3	19^th of 35 public high schools	45.7%		30.5	17^th of 34 public high schools	50.0%	2									26.2						20.0				30.2	$31,657	$1,785	$29,872
Basis Dc Pcs	Public, Charter	5-12	410 8th Street NW	Washington	20004	District Of Columbia	Basis Dc Pcs	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 804-6390	692	50	13.8		337 (48.7%)	120 (17.3%)	74 (10.7%)	50 (7.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	105 (15.2%)	98.8	2^nd of 35 public high schools	94.3%		96.7	1^st of 34 public high schools	97.1%	1	56.8	34.4	63.9	49.8	61.5	75.6	81.3	84.4	77.9	56.8	60.2	80.2	78.5	67.7	89.7		86.0	51.8	92.8	$17,412	$431	$16,981

Frequently Asked Questions about Duke Ellington School of the Arts

How many students attend Duke Ellington School of the Arts?

In the 2024-25 school year, 589 students attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Is Duke Ellington School of the Arts a good school?

Duke Ellington School of the Arts ranks 7^th of 35 District Of Columbia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Duke Ellington School of the Arts in?

District of Columbia Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Duke Ellington School of the Arts?

Students at Duke Ellington School of the Arts are 66% African American, 14% White, 14% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.