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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.

Washington Leadership Academy PCS

Q: Is Washington Leadership Academy PCS a good school?

Washington Leadership Academy PCS ranks 19 th of 37 District Of Columbia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades 9-12

19^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 37 District Of Columbia High Schools

Better than 49% of District Of Columbia high schools

Summary

Washington Leadership Academy PCS (WLA) is a small public charter high school in Washington, DC, serving 386 students in grades 9–12, and it currently ranks at the median of all DC high schools with a 3-star rating. The school's most striking feature is the divide between its strong graduation rate and its below-average test scores. WLA graduates 91.9% of its students (2024–2025), well above the state rate of 78.7% and far higher than nearby Dunbar High School (81.9%) and Cardozo Education Campus (70.7%). On the DC CAPE exam, however, only 19.2% of WLA students are proficient in ELA and 12% in math — roughly half the state averages of 39.6% and 28.2%.

WLA invests heavily in its students, spending $33,946 per pupil and maintaining an 8:1 student-teacher ratio, the highest spending and one of the lowest ratios in the surrounding school cluster. That investment is notable when set against higher-performing schools like Benjamin Banneker High School ($21,072 per pupil, 16.3:1 ratio) and McKinley Technology High School ($30,238, 14.3:1), which achieve ELA proficiency rates above 75%. WLA's math proficiency is competitive with KIPP DC - College Preparatory PCS (12% vs. 5.8%) and stronger than Dunbar or Cardozo, but its ELA performance trails nearby charters like E.L. Haynes PCS - High School (25.2%) and The Sojourner Truth School PCS (47.8%).

The most concerning area is special education: WLA ranked last among 10 DC high schools for this subgroup in both 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, and although it improved to the 29th percentile in 2025–2026, it remains in the bottom third. At-risk student performance has also declined from a 5-star rating in 2017–2018 to a 2-star rating in 2021–2022. The school's overall ranking has been volatile, moving from the 62nd percentile in 2022–2023 to the 37th percentile in 2024–2025 before rebounding to the 50th percentile this year. For parents, WLA offers small classes and a clear strength in graduating its students, but the proficiency data — especially in English and for special education students — suggest that the school's considerable resources are not yet translating into strong academic outcomes on standardized tests.

386

Students ?

8.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$35,535

Per pupil spending ?

47.2%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

3015 4th Street NE
Washington, DC 20017

(240) 580-3371

District: Washington Leadership Academy PCS

Racial breakdown:

African American:

80.8%

Hispanic:

15.8%

White:

1.3%

See top rated District Of Columbia high schools

Compare Washington Leadership Academy PCS to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 50th percentile in 2022 → 49th in 2026

Strengths

✓92% graduate in 4 years — above the District Of Columbia average (79%)

✓Small classes — about 8 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the District Of Columbia average (16% vs 28% meeting standards)

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

!English I scores 22 pts below the District Of Columbia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school16%

District avg15%

District Of Columbia avg28%

19^th of 37

District Of Columbia public high schools ?

Bottom 49%▼ down 1 pts since 2022

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

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

20^th of 46Washington Leadership Academy PCS 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	38.0	19 of 37	48.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	33.5	22 of 35	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.8	16 of 34	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	34.3	13 of 34	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	32.7	15 of 30	50.0%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2026	39.4	19 of 35	45.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	45.4	14 of 32	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	29.2	19 of 28	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.4	16 of 27	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.5	10 of 18	44.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.3	12 of 33	63.6%	★★★★☆
2018	74.9	6 of 34	82.4%	★★★★☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2022	33.7	11 of 19	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.1	9 of 31	71.0%	★★★★☆
2018	84.8	4 of 33	87.9%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	54.8	11 of 31	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.3	7 of 32	78.1%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2025	28.0	10 of 14	28.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2026	47.5	14 of 33	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	37.6	20 of 32	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.1	13 of 28	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	36.2	14 of 30	53.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2019	47.5	11 of 32	65.6%	★★★★☆
2018	69.9	6 of 33	81.8%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2026	32.0	11 of 15	26.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	25.2	10 of 10	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	22.5	10 of 10	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	27.6	18 of 25	28.0%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Male (2019)66th percentile

Female (2019)65th percentile

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)58th percentile+9 vs school

African American (2026)46th percentile-3 vs school

At Risk (2022)42nd percentile-8 vs school

Hispanic (2025)29th percentile-9 vs school

Special Education (2026)27th percentile-22 vs school

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

English II24%-14 vs state

English Language Arts19%-20 vs state

English I15%-22 vs state

Geometry14%~ state avg

Mathematics12%-16 vs state

Algebra I10%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Washington Leadership Academy PCS

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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)				DC CAPE English II (2026)	DC CAPE Algebra II (2026)	DC CAPE Algebra I (2026)	DC CAPE Geometry (2026)	DC CAPE English I (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	Directly certified (2024-25)	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 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 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
Washington Leadership Academy PCS	Public, Charter	9-12	3015 4th Street NE	Washington	20017	District Of Columbia	Washington Leadership Academy PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(240) 580-3371	386	48	8.0	47.2%	5 (1.3%)	312 (80.8%)	61 (15.8%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	38	19^th of 37 public high schools	48.6%		33.5	22^nd of 35 public high schools	37.1%	3				19.2				12.0	23.5		10.1	13.6	14.8	$35,535	$2,872	$32,663
Luke C. Moore High School	Public	9-12	1001 Monroe St. NE	Washington	20017	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 281-3600	275	23	11.9	74.9%	2 (0.7%)	258 (93.8%)	14 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)														$33,410	$2,657	$30,753
McKinley Technology High School	Public	9-12	151 T St. NE	Washington	20002	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 281-3950	723	50	14.3	29.0%	33 (4.6%)	583 (80.6%)	91 (12.6%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.5%)	92.2	3^rd of 37 public high schools	91.9%		74.9	6^th of 35 public high schools	82.9%	3				75.2				30.5	75.4			29.3	75.0	$28,423	$2,384	$26,039
Maya Angelou Academy at Youth Services Center	Public	7-12	1000 Mount Olivet Road NE	Washington	20002	District Of Columbia	Dyrs	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(202) 202-7007	84	10	8.4	79.8%	0 (0.0%)	80 (95.2%)	3 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)								(n/a)
The Sojourner Truth School PCS	Public, Charter	6-12	1800 Perry Street NE	Washington	20018	District Of Columbia	The Sojourner Truth School PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 747-0904	292	31	9.4	37.0%	37 (12.7%)	178 (61.0%)	60 (20.5%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.8%)	41.6	15^th of 37 public high schools	59.5%		52.6	9^th of 35 public high schools	74.3%	6	54.7	53.3	57.1	47.8	29.6	26.2	34.3	25.5	29.1		15.0	3.5	29.3	$30,928	$1,499	$29,429
KIPP DC - College Preparatory PCS	Public, Charter	9-12	1405 Brentwood Parkway NE	Washington	20002	District Of Columbia	KIPP Dc Pcs	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 678-2527	643	52	12.2	55.7%	2 (0.3%)	620 (96.4%)	19 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40.6	17^th of 37 public high schools	54.1%		34.3	21^st of 35 public high schools	40.0%	4				31.9				5.8	37.6		3.8	7.4	27.4	$33,842	$3,447	$30,395
Dunbar High School	Public	9-12	101 N St. NW	Washington	20001	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 698-3762	892	87	10.2	63.2%	3 (0.3%)	781 (87.6%)	100 (11.2%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	22	37^th of 37 public high schools	0.0%		18.4	33^rd of 35 public high schools	5.7%	4				10.7				2.3	11.2		2.6	2.0	10.2	$29,670	$3,041	$26,629
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)				4.8										$26,005	$2,131	$23,874
Cardozo Education Campus	Public	7-12	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	54.5%	6 (0.8%)	334 (47.0%)	356 (50.1%)	10 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	27.8	29^th of 37 public high schools	21.6%		20.7	31^st of 35 public high schools	11.4%	2			24.0	19.2		3.9	2.0	3.4	16.7		4.2	3.4	19.7	$34,825	$2,658	$32,167
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	21.3%	65 (9.2%)	482 (68.6%)	122 (17.4%)	11 (1.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.1%)	98.9	2^nd of 37 public high schools	94.6%		93.4	3^rd of 35 public high schools	91.4%	1				85.6				64.4	89.9		67.1	61.1	81.9	$21,827	$2,084	$19,743

Frequently Asked Questions about Washington Leadership Academy PCS

What is the racial makeup of Washington Leadership Academy PCS?

Students at Washington Leadership Academy PCS are 81% African American, 16% Hispanic, 1% White, 1% Two or more races.

Is Washington Leadership Academy PCS a good school?

Washington Leadership Academy PCS ranks 19^th of 37 District Of Columbia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Washington Leadership Academy PCS in?

Washington Leadership Academy PCS

How many students attend Washington Leadership Academy PCS?

In the 2024-25 school year, 386 students attended Washington Leadership Academy PCS.

Rate Washington Leadership Academy PCS!

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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.