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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 20012

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.

At a glance

Schools

2,914

Students

Districts

5-star school

Top rankedShepherd Elementary School12^th of 124 District Of Columbia elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Breakthrough Montessori PCS up 10 spots statewide this year

See the top-ranked District Of Columbia schools →

Summary:

ZIP code 20012 has four schools: three elementary schools and [District of Columbia International School](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/DC/schools/0009700492/school.aspx), which serves grades 6–12. The results include DC CAPE scores for 2024–2025 and 2025–2026; because the schools serve different grade spans, all-grades results are not direct grade-for-grade comparisons. The clearest finding is that [Shepherd Elementary School](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/DC/schools/0003000030/school.aspx) leads the group in both subjects, including when compared with other elementary schools in the same grades.

In 2025–2026, Shepherd had the highest all-grades results: 72% in English Language Arts (ELA) and 66% in math, compared with state rates of 40% and 28%. The next-highest school in ELA was District of Columbia International at 56%; in math, it was District of Columbia International at 34%, leaving Shepherd ahead by 32 percentage points. At the lower end, [Takoma Elementary School](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/DC/schools/0003000011/school.aspx) had the lowest ELA rate at 27%, while [Breakthrough Montessori PCS](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/DC/schools/0010400507/school.aspx) had the lowest math rate at 17%. SchoolDigger ranked Shepherd 12th of 124 DC schools (90th percentile, five stars) and District of Columbia International 7th of 37 (81st percentile, four stars); Takoma and Breakthrough Montessori received two stars.

Recent trends differ by school: Shepherd’s math rose 3 percentage points from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026 while its ELA was nearly unchanged; Takoma fell 3 points in ELA and 5 in math. Breakthrough Montessori improved 1 point in ELA and 3 in math, while District of Columbia International’s overall math rate stayed level. Same-grade results also favor Shepherd: in fifth grade, its ELA was 68% versus Takoma’s 22%, and its math was 70% versus Breakthrough Montessori’s 14%. School characteristics offer context, not an explanation: elementary-school student–teacher ratios ranged from 9.8 at Takoma to 16.6 at Breakthrough Montessori, while Shepherd’s was 13.1. In 2024–2025, directly certified for free meals rates were 8% at Shepherd, 39% at Takoma, 24% at Breakthrough Montessori, and 14% at District of Columbia International.

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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 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 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	DC CAPE English 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
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	39.1%	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
Shepherd Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7800 14th St NW	Washington	20012	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 576-6140	394	30	13.1	8.1%	124 (31.5%)	177 (44.9%)	30 (7.6%)	8 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (14.0%)	93.7	12^th of 124 public elementary schools	90.3%		94.5	12^th of 128 public elementary schools	90.6%		74.5	75.0	68.3				72.3	74.5		70.0				66.1					$24,042	$2,077	$21,965
District of Columbia International School	Public, Charter	6-12	1400 Main Drive NW	Washington	20012	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia International School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 808-9033	1,654	160	10.3	14.3%	348 (21.0%)	428 (25.9%)	662 (40.0%)	46 (2.8%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	164 (9.9%)	69.1	7^th of 37 public high schools	81.1%		62.3	8^th of 35 public high schools	77.1%	1				56.1	61.3	64.5	56.3				37.2	44.7	40.3	33.8	43.5	16.8	22.7	53.9	$26,519	$1,582	$24,937
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	24.0%	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

Cities Near Zip Code 20012

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank	Rank (0-5)
Washington	0.22 mi	264	1^st
Laurel	15.75 mi	1

See the top DC District Of Columbia cities

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.