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LaSalle-Backus Elementary School

Q: Is LaSalle-Backus Elementary School a good school?

LaSalle-Backus Elementary School ranks 49 th of 128 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

49^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 128 District Of Columbia Elementary Schools

Better than 62% of District Of Columbia elementary schools

Summary

LaSalle-Backus Elementary School is a public elementary school in Washington, DC, serving 261 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) district, which is ranked 22 out of 46 districts in DC and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio and increased per-student spending over time, LaSalle-Backus has consistently underperformed compared to the district and state averages, as well as many nearby schools, in academic achievement. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (28.4%) and Mathematics (30.5%) are significantly lower than the DCPS (42.5% and 30.8%) and DC (37.6% and 26.4%) averages. Nearby schools like Whittier Elementary (48.2% ELA, 54.7% Math) and DC Bilingual PCS (49.7% ELA, 37.1% Math) outperform LaSalle-Backus in academic achievement.

However, the school has shown some strengths in its performance for specific student subgroups, such as African American students and English Language Learners, ranking among the top schools in DC in these categories. This suggests that the school may be effectively serving the needs of these populations, and understanding the strategies and practices that contribute to these successes could provide valuable insights for improving overall academic outcomes.

279

Students ?

7.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$39,295

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

501 Riggs Rd. NE
Washington, DC 20011

(202) 671-6340

District: District of Columbia Public Schools

Students who attend LaSalle-Backus Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ida B. Wells Middle School
High:	Coolidge High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

50.9%

Hispanic:

42.7%

White:

4.3%

See top rated District Of Columbia elementary schools

Compare LaSalle-Backus Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 12th percentile in 2014 → 62nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 50 percentile points since 2014

✓Above the District Of Columbia median (62nd percentile)

✓Small classes — about 8 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school29%

District avg37%

District Of Columbia avg32%

49^th of 128

District Of Columbia public elementary schools ?

Top 38%▲ up 38 pts since 2015

From bottom 24% (2015) to top 38% (2025)

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

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

34^th of 76Elementary 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	44.2	49 of 128	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	39.5	63 of 126	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.6	40 of 128	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.6	36 of 97	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	35.6	69 of 122	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	33.8	73 of 120	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	26.9	74 of 108	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	27.7	74 of 99	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	23.6	74 of 97	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	16.0	96 of 109	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	12.3	110 of 112	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	22.3	94 of 111	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	40.4	63 of 111	43.2%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	58.2	36 of 108	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.4	9 of 60	85.0%	★★★★☆
2022	68.8	7 of 35	80.0%	★★★★☆
2019	48.0	51 of 106	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	32.6	69 of 100	31.0%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2022	72.1	3 of 27	88.9%	★★★★★
2019	53.4	36 of 91	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	44.9	45 of 90	50.0%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2023	60.3	6 of 19	68.4%	★★★★☆
2022	71.9	1 of 21	95.2%	★★★★★
2019	49.4	11 of 25	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	36.8	14 of 25	44.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	32.1	78 of 117	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.3	79 of 110	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	52.8	8 of 32	75.0%	★★★★☆
2024	40.5	17 of 30	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.9	10 of 22	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	25.0	27 of 30	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.8	17 of 29	41.4%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	63.7	21 of 92	77.2%	★★★★☆
2024	47.2	24 of 55	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	73.8	7 of 53	86.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	38.4	64 of 113	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.4	66 of 113	41.6%	★★☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	44.7	36 of 75	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.6	42 of 72	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	28.5	40 of 56	28.6%	★★☆☆☆
2016	26.4	35 of 48	27.1%	★★☆☆☆
2015	33.0	29 of 49	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	19.6	49 of 57	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	11.6	53 of 57	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	33.8	38 of 57	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2010	42.8	31 of 56	44.6%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

At Risk (2022)89th percentile+26 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)77th percentile+15 vs school

Hispanic (2025)75th percentile+13 vs school

English Language Learner (2023)68th percentile~ school

African American (2025)67th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2019)43rd percentile~ school

Female (2019)33rd percentile-10 vs school

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

Mathematics30%+4 vs state

English Language Arts28%-9 vs state

★

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Schools Near LaSalle-Backus Elementary School

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)							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 All Grades	DC CAPE English Language Arts 3rd Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 4th Grade	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 3rd Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 4th Grade	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
LaSalle-Backus Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	501 Riggs Rd. NE	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 671-6340	279	35	7.9		12 (4.3%)	142 (50.9%)	119 (42.7%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	44.2	49^th of 128 public elementary schools	61.7%		39.5	63^rd of 126 public elementary schools	50.0%	14				32.3	27.8	25.0				28.4	19.4	25.0	50.0				30.5	$39,295	$4,643	$34,652
Rocketship PCS - Infinity Community Prep	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	5450 3rd Street NE	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	Rocketship Education DC PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 627-2256	321	23	13.8		5 (1.6%)	223 (69.5%)	84 (26.2%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)	21	105^th of 128 public elementary schools	18.0%		28.9	90^th of 126 public elementary schools	28.6%	15					22.5	9.5				12.4	21.6	12.5	9.1				15.2	$37,854	$4,701	$33,153
Sela PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	6015 Chillum Place NE	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	Sela PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 670-7352	302	43	7.0		78 (25.8%)	170 (56.3%)	37 (12.3%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.6%)	58.8	35^th of 128 public elementary schools	72.7%		78.2	22^nd of 126 public elementary schools	82.5%	13	18.8			33.3	55.2	25.0				40.3	42.3	40.0	26.7				38.0	$28,298	$1,687	$26,610
DC Bilingual PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	33 Riggs Road NE	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	DC Bilingual PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 750-6674	622	78	7.9		200 (32.2%)	122 (19.6%)	261 (42.0%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.3%)	69.8	24^th of 128 public elementary schools	81.3%		81.7	18^th of 126 public elementary schools	85.7%	6	46.2			35.2	61.6	53.8				49.7	36.6	45.2	23.1				37.1	$30,073	$2,087	$27,986
Roots PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	15 Kennedy Street NW	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	Roots PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 882-8073	80	8	10.6		0 (0.0%)	80 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										11.8								$32,074	$941	$31,133
Bridges PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	100 Gallatin Street NE	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	Bridges PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 545-0515	365	40	9.2		8 (2.2%)	155 (42.5%)	195 (53.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)	15.1	123^rd of 128 public elementary schools	3.9%		19.4	120^th of 126 public elementary schools	4.8%	3				5.3	11.9	6.9				8.3	18.4						9.2	$34,782	$4,177	$30,604
Friendship PCS - Ideal Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-3	6130 North Capitol Street NW	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	Friendship PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 518-3928	212	17	12.4		1 (0.5%)	196 (92.5%)	14 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)								(n/a)				24.4						24.4	19.5						19.5	$32,742	$4,884	$27,859
Creative Minds International PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	3700 North Capitol Street NW	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	Creative Minds International PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 588-0370	530	52	10.1		77 (14.5%)	287 (54.2%)	137 (25.8%)	7 (1.3%)	7 (1.3%)	3 (0.6%)	12 (2.3%)	33.3	77^th of 128 public elementary schools	39.8%		36.4	70^th of 126 public elementary schools	44.4%	7	17.1	10.7	14.3	21.4	41.3	23.7	24.1	30.4	37.9	29.0	21.4	21.7	18.9	11.5	20.9	17.9	18.7	$33,517	$2,039	$31,478
Capital City PCS - Lower School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-4	100 Peabody Street NW	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	Capital City PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 808-9800	323	27	12.1		18 (5.6%)	61 (18.9%)	232 (71.8%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	19.3	108^th of 128 public elementary schools	15.6%		27	97^th of 126 public elementary schools	23.0%	11					18.0					11.2	12.5	14.0					13.3	$32,709	$3,361	$29,349
Whittier Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6201 5th St. NW	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 576-6156	450	45	9.9		64 (14.2%)	251 (55.8%)	108 (24.0%)	8 (1.8%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.6%)	72	23^rd of 128 public elementary schools	82.0%		66.6	28^th of 126 public elementary schools	77.8%	5	18.4			58.3	52.4	34.7				48.2	58.3	66.7	40.8				54.7	$28,473	$4,532	$23,941

Frequently Asked Questions about LaSalle-Backus Elementary School

Is LaSalle-Backus Elementary School a good school?

LaSalle-Backus Elementary School ranks 49^th of 128 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is LaSalle-Backus Elementary School in?

District of Columbia Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of LaSalle-Backus Elementary School?

Students at LaSalle-Backus Elementary School are 51% African American, 43% Hispanic, 4% White, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of LaSalle-Backus Elementary School attend?

Students who attend LaSalle-Backus Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ida B. Wells Middle School
High : Coolidge High School

How many students attend LaSalle-Backus Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 279 students attended LaSalle-Backus Elementary School.

Rate LaSalle-Backus Elementary School!

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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.