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Test scores delayed: 2025-2026 science scores will be released by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education in October, at which point rankings will be updated.

Garfield Elementary School

Q: Is Garfield Elementary School a good school?

Garfield Elementary School ranks 64 th of 124 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Garfield Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 252 students attended Garfield Elementary School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Garfield Elementary School?

Students at Garfield Elementary School are 94% African American, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Q: What schools do graduates of Garfield Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Garfield Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Johnson Middle School High : Ballou High School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

64^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 124 District Of Columbia Elementary Schools

Better than 48% of District Of Columbia elementary schools

Summary

Garfield Elementary School serves 252 students in grades PK–5 in Southeast Washington, DC, as part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. After spending years near the bottom of DC elementary schools, Garfield jumped from the 5th percentile in 2022–2023 to the 48th percentile in 2025–2026, ranking 64th out of 124 DC elementary schools — its strongest overall ranking in more than a decade.

Garfield's math proficiency more than doubled in a single year, from 13.5% to 27.1%, placing it essentially at the state average and well ahead of nearby schools like Moten Elementary School, Beers Elementary School, and Turner Elementary School. Math is now a clear strength, second only to Stanton Elementary School among nearby DCPS elementary schools. English language arts remains the challenge, with 23.3% proficiency compared to the district's 44.1%. Third-grade ELA is especially concerning at 12.5%, though 4th-grade ELA (35.3%) approaches the state average. Garfield also posts strong subgroup results, ranking in the 68th percentile for African American students and the 79th percentile for low-income students — both well above its overall rank.

Garfield is now outperforming several nearby charter schools, including Rocketship PCS - Rise Academy and KIPP DC - Heights Academy PCS, with proficiency rates more than double those schools' results. Within its immediate DCPS cluster, Garfield sits mid-pack at the 48th percentile, ahead of Beers (44th), Moten (39th), and Turner (2nd), and competitive with Stanton (53rd). The school invests heavily in its students — $35,413 per student in 2023–2024 — and maintains a low 10.2 student-teacher ratio. The central question is whether this momentum can be sustained; the school's historically volatile performance and persistent ELA gap mean continued monitoring will be essential to determine whether this turnaround is durable.

252

Students ?

10.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$32,716

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2435 Alabama Ave SE
Washington, DC 20020

(202) 671-6140

District: District of Columbia Public Schools

Students who attend Garfield Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Johnson Middle School
High:	Ballou High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

94.0%

Hispanic:

4.0%

Two or more races:

1.6%

See top rated District Of Columbia elementary schools

Compare Garfield Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — <1st percentile in 2012 → 48th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 48 percentile points since 2012

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the District Of Columbia average (25% vs 34% meeting standards)

!English Language Arts scores 16 pts below the District Of Columbia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school25%

District avg39%

District Of Columbia avg34%

64^th of 124

District Of Columbia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 48%▲ up 25 pts since 2016

From bottom 23% (2016) to bottom 48% (2026)

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

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

42^nd of 74Elementary Schools in the District of Columbia Public Schools

19^th 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
2026	37.7	64 of 124	48.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	21.0	104 of 128	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.7	122 of 128	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.2	112 of 122	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	20.8	97 of 120	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	34.1	65 of 108	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2016	26.4	76 of 99	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	25.6	69 of 97	28.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	11.9	103 of 109	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	8.4	112 of 112	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	6.9	111 of 111	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	13.4	106 of 111	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2026	62.0	31 of 96	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	26.1	83 of 108	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.2	95 of 106	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.9	78 of 100	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	28.4	73 of 91	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.3	68 of 90	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	16.2	108 of 117	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	22.6	87 of 110	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2026	67.2	17 of 80	78.8%	★★★★☆
2025	38.0	63 of 92	31.5%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	20.7	102 of 113	9.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.1	94 of 113	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)79th percentile+30 vs school

African American (2026)68th percentile+19 vs school

At Risk (2019)20th percentile+12 vs school

Male (2019)10th percentile~ school

Female (2019)8th percentile~ school

By subject vs District Of Columbia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics27%~ state avg

English Language Arts23%-16 vs state

★

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Schools Near Garfield Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				DC CAPE English Language Arts (2026)				DC CAPE Mathematics (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2016)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	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 All Grades	DC CAPE Mathematics 3rd Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 4th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 5th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Garfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2435 Alabama Ave SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 671-6140	252	25	10.2	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	237 (94.0%)	10 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.6%)	37.7	64^th of 124 public elementary schools	48.4%		21	104^th of 128 public elementary schools	18.8%	40	12.5	35.3		23.3			25.0	27.1	$32,716	$2,580	$30,136
Rocketship PCS - Rise Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	2335 Raynolds Place SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	Rocketship Education DC PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 750-7177	346	22	15.7		2 (0.6%)	337 (97.4%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	16.4	110^th of 124 public elementary schools	11.3%					(n/a)	6.5	10.3		10.8	10.9	7.7	14.3	10.8	$39,238	$2,537	$36,700
Stanton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2701 Naylor Rd. SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 671-6180	288	30	9.5	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	273 (94.8%)	13 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	41.1	58^th of 124 public elementary schools	53.2%		30	84^th of 128 public elementary schools	34.4%	26	19.3	29.4		26.3	45.2	36.4	11.4	30.3	$33,657	$3,056	$30,601
Turner Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3264 Stanton Rd. SE	Washington	20032	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 645-3470	461	38	12.2	100.0%	1 (0.2%)	441 (95.7%)	16 (3.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	11.9	122^nd of 124 public elementary schools	1.6%					(n/a)	3.7	9.7	7.8	7.4	5.6	5.7	4.5	5.3	$29,354	$2,705	$26,649
Moten Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1565 Morris Rd. SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 698-1111	216	28	7.7	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	208 (96.3%)	6 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	29.6	76^th of 124 public elementary schools	38.7%		36.6	68^th of 128 public elementary schools	46.9%	8	9.5	32.1		26.8	28.5		13.6	25.4	$35,409	$2,827	$32,581
KIPP DC - Discover Academy PCS	Public, Charter	PK-K	2600 Douglass Road SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	KIPP Dc Pcs	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 678-7735	282	21	13.1	99.4%	1 (0.4%)	274 (97.2%)	5 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)									$30,296	$3,498	$26,798
KIPP DC - Heights Academy PCS	Public, Charter	1-4	2600 Douglass Road SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	KIPP Dc Pcs	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 610-5323	408	32	12.6	99.5%	0 (0.0%)	400 (98.0%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17.3	107^th of 124 public elementary schools	13.7%		14.3	124^th of 128 public elementary schools	3.1%	17	4.8	15.0		9.7	13.4	16.3		14.7	$28,627	$3,640	$24,987
Beers Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3600 Alabama Ave. SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 939-4800	412	38	10.8	100.0%	3 (0.7%)	390 (94.7%)	14 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	34	70^th of 124 public elementary schools	43.5%		33.2	78^th of 128 public elementary schools	39.1%	8	23.3	23.8	30.5	25.6	25.6	26.2		23.9	$31,534	$2,635	$28,899
DC Prep PCS - Anacostia Elementary School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-3	2330 Pomeroy Road SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	DC Prep PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 729-3500	409	32	12.7	80.9%	1 (0.2%)	389 (95.1%)	9 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)								(n/a)	19.1								$29,035	$3,269	$25,766
Lee Montessori PCS - East End	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	2345 R Street SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	Lee Montessori PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 996-6700	246	17	14.8		12 (4.9%)	203 (82.5%)	14 (5.7%)	3 (1.2%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.9%)								(n/a)	21.7	28.6		20.0					$29,127	$576	$28,550

Frequently Asked Questions about Garfield Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Garfield Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Garfield Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Johnson Middle School
High : Ballou High School

Is Garfield Elementary School a good school?

Garfield Elementary School ranks 64^th of 124 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Garfield Elementary School?

Students at Garfield Elementary School are 94% African American, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Garfield Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 252 students attended Garfield Elementary School.

What district is Garfield Elementary School in?

District of Columbia Public Schools

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Latest District Of Columbia data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataSep 2, 2026

2025–26 DC CAPE test scoresAug 20, 2026

2024–25 DC Science test scoresDec 5, 2025

2024–25 graduation ratesDec 4, 2025

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.