Summary:
Zip code 20009 in Washington, DC contains 6 schools — 5 elementary schools serving PK–5 (Meridian PCS serves PK–8) and one high school, Cardozo Education Campus, serving grades 6–12 — with no standalone middle schools or alternative schools, enrolling 2,721 students across 5 DC Public Schools and 1 public charter school.
Ross Elementary School is the standout, ranked #1 of 124 DC elementary schools for 2025-2026 with 84.4% ELA and 87.1% math proficiency, far exceeding district averages, and it has climbed from #5 to #1 over three years. Marie Reed Elementary School and Garrison Elementary School are strong, consistent options, both ranking in the 77th percentile with proficiency in the mid-40s. H.D. Cooke Elementary School improved dramatically from 107th to 71st but remains below district averages. At the bottom, Meridian PCS ranks 108th of 124 with just 19.2% ELA and 9.0% math proficiency, while Cardozo Education Campus ranks 28th of 36 high schools with only 3.4% math proficiency and a 70.7% graduation rate.
Spending does not predict performance: Cardozo Education Campus and Meridian PCS spend the most per student ($33,292 and $32,542) yet are the lowest performers, while Ross Elementary School spends the least ($25,648) and achieves the best results. Student-teacher ratios are nearly identical across all six schools (9.0–10.2), so class size does not explain the gaps. The divide within this zip code is stark — Ross Elementary School posts 84.4% ELA proficiency versus 19.2% at Meridian PCS, and 87.1% math proficiency versus 3.4% at Cardozo Education Campus. Grade-level data reveals inconsistencies, such as H.D. Cooke Elementary School's ELA falling from 41.7% in 4th grade to 9.2% in 5th grade, and science proficiency ranges from 70% at Ross Elementary School to 1.2% at Cardozo Education Campus. Overall, elementary schools here are competitive with DC averages, but the lone high school lags far behind, indicating students may lose ground by secondary school.
Thank you for your feedback!