Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

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.

Breakthrough Montessori PCS

Q: Is Breakthrough Montessori PCS a good school?

Breakthrough Montessori PCS ranks 66 th of 124 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-6

66^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 124 District Of Columbia Elementary Schools

Better than 47% of District Of Columbia elementary schools

Summary

Breakthrough Montessori PCS is a public charter school in the Takoma/Brightwood neighborhood of Washington, DC, serving 383 students in grades PK–6 with a Montessori approach centered on mixed-age classrooms and student-directed learning. The school currently sits in the mid-tier of DC schools, ranking 66th out of 124 elementary schools with a 2-star rating for 2025–2026, a notable decline from its 4-star ranking in 2022–2023. Its single-school district, Breakthrough Montessori PCS, is rated 24th out of 46 DC districts. Per-student spending has reached $27,545, up 37% over the past three years.

Academically, Breakthrough shows a split profile. In reading, upper-grade results are genuinely encouraging: 4th graders achieved 42.8% proficiency and 5th graders 41.4%, both above state averages, though only 12.5% of 3rd graders were proficient, pointing to early-reading challenges. Math is the school's most pressing weakness. Overall math proficiency is 16.6%, nearly 12 points below the DC average, and just 13.8% of 5th graders are at grade level. The contrast with nearby schools is stark: Whittier Elementary School, located only 0.56 miles away, posts 72.9% math proficiency, and Sela PCS reaches 55%.

Families should also note that Breakthrough's student-teacher ratio of 16.6 is the highest among all nearby schools—well above Takoma Elementary School's 9.8 and Whittier Elementary School's 9.9—which may be a concern given the individualized attention Montessori instruction typically requires. On a brighter note, the school reported a surprisingly strong 28% proficiency on the 2023–2024 end-of-course science exam, more than double the state average, though that figure warrants caution. Overall, Breakthrough offers a distinctive educational philosophy with real literacy strengths in the upper grades, but it is also a school with a stubborn math gap and a declining trajectory that parents will want to weigh carefully.

383

Students ?

16.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$30,225

Per pupil spending ?

6923 Willow Street NW
Washington, DC 20012

(202) 864-1979

District: Breakthrough Montessori PCS

Racial breakdown:

African American:

47.3%

White:

33.2%

Two or more races:

8.4%

See top rated District Of Columbia elementary schools

Compare Breakthrough Montessori PCS to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 64th percentile in 2022 → 47th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the District Of Columbia average (24% vs 34% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 17 percentile points since 2022

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school24%

District avg24%

District Of Columbia avg34%

66^th of 124

District Of Columbia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 47%▼ down 17 pts since 2022

From top 36% (2022) to bottom 47% (2026)

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

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

24^th of 46Breakthrough Montessori 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	36.2	66 of 124	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	33.4	76 of 128	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.7	61 of 126	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.0	37 of 128	71.1%	★★★★☆
2022	52.0	35 of 97	63.9%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2026	33.7	57 of 96	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	29.9	79 of 108	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.5	45 of 63	28.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.3	28 of 60	53.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	District Of Columbia percentile	Rating
2022	23.4	16 of 18	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆

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)41st percentile-6 vs school

White (2022)11th percentile-53 vs school

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

English Language Arts30%-9 vs state

Mathematics17%-12 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Breakthrough Montessori PCS and help other families decide.

Rate Breakthrough Montessori PCS

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Breakthrough Montessori PCS

Load more schools when map is moved

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 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
Breakthrough Montessori PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	6923 Willow Street NW	Washington	20012	District Of Columbia	Breakthrough Montessori PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 864-1979	383	23	16.6		127 (33.2%)	181 (47.3%)	28 (7.3%)	14 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.4%)	36.2	66^th of 124 public elementary schools	46.8%		33.4	76^th of 128 public elementary schools	40.6%	10	12.5	42.8	41.4				30.5	18.8		13.8				16.6	$30,225	$2,253	$27,972
Takoma Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7010 Piney Branch Rd. NW	Washington	20012	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 671-6050	483	49	9.8	100.0%	53 (11.0%)	253 (52.4%)	153 (31.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.3%)	35.7	67^th of 124 public elementary schools	46.0%		47.2	47^th of 128 public elementary schools	63.3%	20	32.8	25.0	22.2				27.0	36.2	15.6	20.0				24.0	$30,205	$2,455	$27,750
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	100.0%	64 (14.2%)	251 (55.8%)	108 (24.0%)	8 (1.8%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.6%)	92.5	14^th of 124 public elementary schools	88.7%		72	23^rd of 128 public elementary schools	82.0%	9	51.3	83.0	72.9				69.3	77.0	76.2	64.8				72.9	$28,710	$2,421	$26,289
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	21.9%	77 (14.5%)	287 (54.2%)	137 (25.8%)	7 (1.3%)	7 (1.3%)	3 (0.6%)	12 (2.3%)	32.4	72^nd of 124 public elementary schools	41.9%		33.3	77^th of 128 public elementary schools	39.8%	5	36.6	34.8	14.7	25.7	34.2	38.3	31.2		15.6	6.1		15.0	12.1	16.2	$36,168	$1,786	$34,382
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)	19.0							38.0							$36,223	$2,479	$33,744
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	57.5%	78 (25.8%)	170 (56.3%)	37 (12.3%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.6%)	67.1	33^rd of 124 public elementary schools	73.4%		58.8	35^th of 128 public elementary schools	72.7%	2	63.3	23.8	44.5				46.3	66.7						55.0	$27,035	$1,212	$25,823
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	64.5%	18 (5.6%)	61 (18.9%)	232 (71.8%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	17	109^th of 124 public elementary schools	12.1%		19.3	108^th of 128 public elementary schools	15.6%	1	7.7	16.6					12.0	11.5	12.5					12.0	$36,666	$2,087	$34,578
Center City PCS - Brightwood	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	6008 Georgia Avenue NW	Washington	20011	District Of Columbia	Center City PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 723-3322	269	29	9.4	74.6%	1 (0.4%)	157 (58.4%)	103 (38.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)								(n/a)					82.6	55.6	43.0	53.9	45.9				33.4	38.0	$28,502	$2,177	$26,325
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	87.7%	0 (0.0%)	80 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	9.1						23.5							17.7	$31,494	$7,618	$23,876
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	100.0%	12 (4.3%)	142 (50.9%)	119 (42.7%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	48.7	52^nd of 124 public elementary schools	58.1%		44.2	49^th of 128 public elementary schools	61.7%	3		46.2	30.0				32.9	17.2	50.0	30.0				31.8	$39,027	$2,449	$36,578

Frequently Asked Questions about Breakthrough Montessori PCS

How many students attend Breakthrough Montessori PCS?

In the 2024-25 school year, 383 students attended Breakthrough Montessori PCS.

What is the racial makeup of Breakthrough Montessori PCS?

Students at Breakthrough Montessori PCS are 47% African American, 33% White, 8% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 4% Asian.

What district is Breakthrough Montessori PCS in?

Breakthrough Montessori PCS

Is Breakthrough Montessori PCS a good school?

Breakthrough Montessori PCS ranks 66^th of 124 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Breakthrough Montessori PCS!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

DCDistrict Of Columbia Elementary School Rankings

DCDistrict Of Columbia District Rankings

Schools in Washington, DC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Breakthrough Montessori PCS!

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.