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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.

Van Ness Elementary School

Q: Is Van Ness Elementary School a good school?

Van Ness Elementary School ranks 74 th of 124 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

74^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 124 District Of Columbia Elementary Schools

Better than 40% of District Of Columbia elementary schools

Summary

Van Ness Elementary School is a District of Columbia Public Schools elementary school at 1150 5th St SE in the Capitol Hill / Capitol Riverfront area, serving 404 students in grades PK-5. In 2025-26, Van Ness ranked 74th out of 124 DC elementary schools (40th percentile) and earned a 2-star rating, continuing a modest downward trend from 2021-22, when it ranked at the 54th percentile. Academically, the school trails both district and state averages: on the 2025-26 DC CAPE, 26.1% of students were proficient in English Language Arts (ELA) versus 44.1% for DCPS, and 24.7% were proficient in math versus 33.3% for DCPS.

Van Ness sits in a neighborhood with several very strong DCPS schools. Nearby Brent Elementary School ranks 17th statewide, Shirley Chisholm Elementary School 26th, Payne Elementary School 27th, and Watkins Elementary School 36th. Van Ness trails Brent by 37.1 percentage points in ELA and 48.1 points in math, and it trails Shirley Chisholm by 22.9 points in ELA and 23.8 points in math. It does, however, outperform the lowest-performing nearby schools: Amidon-Bowen Elementary School (87th), Ketcham Elementary School (120th), and Savoy Elementary School (121st). A nearby charter, Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Elementary, posted 55.1% ELA and 44.9% math proficiency in 2024-25, far exceeding Van Ness's 27.1% and 19.1%.

One notable concern is a steep grade-level decline in math. Van Ness's 3rd-grade math proficiency is 42.6%, close to the state average, but it collapses to 7.0% by 5th grade—a 35.6-point drop that far exceeds the district decline of 13.4 points. Upper-grade ELA is also weak, with just 16.4% of 5th graders proficient. Spending and class sizes do not explain the gap: Van Ness spends about $22.8k per student with a 13:1 student-teacher ratio, nearly identical to Brent, which produces far stronger results. Finally, subgroup outcomes are concerning—African American and low-SES students rank in the bottom quintile statewide—and the school's overall trend is flat-to-declining while nearby schools show upward momentum.

404

Students ?

13.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,504

Per pupil spending ?

32.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1150 5th St SE
Washington, DC 20003

(202) 727-4314

District: District of Columbia Public Schools

Students who attend Van Ness Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Jefferson Middle School Academy
High:	Eastern High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

67.8%

White:

17.6%

Two or more races:

7.7%

See top rated District Of Columbia elementary schools

Compare Van Ness Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 54th percentile in 2022 → 40th in 2026

Worth a look

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

!Ranking has slipped — down 14 percentile points since 2022

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school25%

District avg39%

District Of Columbia avg34%

74^th of 124

District Of Columbia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 40%▼ down 13 pts since 2022

From top 46% (2022) to bottom 40% (2026)

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

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

48^th 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	30.0	74 of 124	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.1	75 of 128	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.1	66 of 126	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.3	63 of 128	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.0	45 of 97	53.6%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2026	24.5	79 of 96	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	17.9	99 of 108	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	21.5	55 of 63	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.8	41 of 60	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.5	22 of 35	37.1%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	17.1	86 of 92	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

African American (2026)18th percentile-23 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)7th percentile-35 vs school

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

English Language Arts26%-13 vs state

Mathematics25%-4 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, November 24, 2021

This is my daughter's second year at Van Ness and I am thoroughly impressed with the school. The faculty seem enthusiastic and they keep the children pumped to learn. The principal is just stellar. I love the focus on socio-emotional health and wellness too. Close Quote

Schools Near Van Ness 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
Van Ness Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1150 5th St SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 727-4314	404	31	13.0	32.6%	71 (17.6%)	274 (67.8%)	21 (5.2%)	5 (1.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.7%)	30	74^th of 124 public elementary schools	40.3%		34.1	75^th of 128 public elementary schools	41.4%	1		24.5	16.4	26.1	42.6	20.7	7.0	24.7	$24,504	$2,495	$22,009
Shirley Chisholm Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1001 G St. SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 939-4810	542	46	11.7	100.0%	122 (22.5%)	298 (55.0%)	86 (15.9%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.4%)	71.5	26^th of 124 public elementary schools	79.0%		68.1	28^th of 128 public elementary schools	78.1%	2	49.1	54.6	43.4	49.0	56.4	52.7	35.9	48.5	$25,435	$2,422	$23,013
Brent Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2501 11th St NW	Washington	20001	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 698-3363	421	33	12.9	9.1%	280 (66.5%)	48 (11.4%)	37 (8.8%)	15 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (9.5%)	86.7	17^th of 124 public elementary schools	86.3%		97.7	5^th of 128 public elementary schools	96.1%	12	60.3	74.4	47.4	63.2	82.5	67.4	52.6	72.8	$24,127	$2,111	$22,016
Watkins Elementary School (Capitol Hill Cluster)	Public	K-5	420 12th St. SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 698-3355	415	30	13.8	33.5%	94 (22.7%)	273 (65.8%)	22 (5.3%)	6 (1.4%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.9%)	64.2	36^th of 124 public elementary schools	71.0%		61.2	33^rd of 128 public elementary schools	74.2%	3	35.2	51.5	51.8	46.9	47.9	50.5	26.0	41.7	$22,287	$2,067	$20,220
Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-3	1345 Potomac Avenue SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	Friendship PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 547-5800	256	26	9.7	99.2%	1 (0.4%)	246 (96.1%)	9 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	29.6				37.1				$35,028	$2,492	$32,536
Cedar Tree Academy PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-3	701 Howard Road SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	Cedar Tree Academy PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 610-4193	399	25	16.0	99.2%	0 (0.0%)	362 (90.7%)	10 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.8%)								(n/a)	11.7				19.6				$30,586	$2,230	$28,356
Payne Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1445 C St. SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 698-3262	398	33	12.0	100.0%	143 (35.9%)	205 (51.5%)	23 (5.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.0%)	70.5	27^th of 124 public elementary schools	78.2%		68.5	27^th of 128 public elementary schools	78.9%		54.2	42.5	42.8	46.7	65.9	42.5	42.8	50.7	$27,406	$2,380	$25,027
Savoy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2400 Shannon Pl. SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 939-2000	233	24	9.7	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	221 (94.8%)	12 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12.1	121^st of 124 public elementary schools	2.4%					(n/a)	3.6	7.2	5.6	5.4			5.6		$31,298	$2,575	$28,723
Amidon-Bowen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	401 I St. SW	Washington	20024	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 724-4867	374	36	10.4	100.0%	48 (12.8%)	268 (71.7%)	38 (10.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	17 (4.5%)	25.1	87^th of 124 public elementary schools	29.8%		22	100^th of 128 public elementary schools	21.9%	13	9.1	28.1	21.9	20.9	14.0	23.4		17.2	$28,138	$2,640	$25,498
Peabody Elementary School (Capitol Hill Cluster)	Public	PK-K	425 C St. NE	Washington	20002	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 698-3277	209	17	12.6	17.6%	125 (59.8%)	56 (26.8%)	13 (6.2%)	6 (2.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.8%)								(n/a)									$25,023	$2,098	$22,924

Frequently Asked Questions about Van Ness Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Van Ness Elementary School?

Students at Van Ness Elementary School are 68% African American, 18% White, 8% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Van Ness Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 404 students attended Van Ness Elementary School.

What district is Van Ness Elementary School in?

District of Columbia Public Schools

What schools do graduates of Van Ness Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Van Ness Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jefferson Middle School Academy
High : Eastern High School

Is Van Ness Elementary School a good school?

Van Ness Elementary School ranks 74^th of 124 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Van Ness Elementary School!

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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.