Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 20032

ZIP code 20032 in Washington, DC is home to 13 elementary schools enrolling roughly 4,300 students, including eight public charter schools and five traditional District of Columbia Public Schools campuses, with grade configurations ranging from PK–K programs to full PK–8 schools. Overall, this cluster of schools in the Congress Heights and Bellevue neighborhoods trails both district and statewide averages: average ELA proficiency is about 29% versus 39.6% statewide, while average math proficiency is about 19% versus 28.2% statewide. That proficiency gap is especially pronounced in mathematics, which remains the biggest academic challenge across the area.

For parents seeking the strongest academics, Learn DC PCS is the clear leader, ranking 24th out of 124 schools statewide with 58.5% ELA and 46.2% math proficiency — both well above state averages. Center City PCS – Congress Heights is another bright spot, posting 54.3% ELA and 36.2% math while spending less than most peers. Among traditional DCPS schools, Leckie Education Campus is the strongest, jumping from #102 to #63 in one year with 8th-grade ELA proficiency above the state average. At the other end, Simon Elementary School is the lowest-performing school in the ZIP code with just 7.3% ELA and 6.4% math, while KIPP DC – Inspire Academy PCS also struggles at 12.6% ELA.

On average, charter schools in 20032 outperform DCPS schools in both subjects — about 35.2% versus 21.3% in ELA and 24.0% versus 13.7% in math. But higher spending does not guarantee better results: Achievement Preparatory Academy PCS spends $37,143 per student yet scores only 23.5% ELA and 11.1% math, while Center City achieves strong outcomes at $28,266 per student. Middle-grade math proficiency drops sharply at several schools, and science proficiency is very low wherever data exists. Some schools show clear momentum, though: Hendley Elementary School climbed from near the bottom of the district to the 26th percentile, and Achievement Prep moved from the 8th to the 33rd percentile. Parents should also note that KIPP DC – Pride Academy PCS has no published test scores because it serves only PK–K grades.