Summary:
The middle schools located in the 20032 zip code of Washington, D.C. serve a predominantly African American student population and face significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates well below district and state averages. Of the 5 schools in this area, Friendship PCS - Southeast Middle stands out as the highest performing, ranking 32nd out of 70 D.C. middle schools and earning a 3-star rating. In contrast, KIPP DC - Honor Academy PCS has a lower overall ranking (51st out of 70) and a 1-star rating, but it excels in math proficiency, particularly in 8th grade where 25% of students scored proficient or better, compared to the district average of 11.2%.
Despite higher per-student spending and relatively small class sizes, the academic performance at these schools is concerning. Across the board, proficiency rates lag significantly behind the District of Columbia Public Schools and state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, at Hart Middle School, only 4.3% of 6th graders were proficient in ELA, compared to the district average of 38.9%. This suggests that factors beyond just funding and class size may be contributing to the academic challenges faced by these schools.
The lack of racial/ethnic diversity in the student populations, with all 5 schools having a student body that is over 97% African American, is also concerning and may be indicative of broader equity issues in the District of Columbia Public Schools system. Further investigation is needed to understand the root causes of the academic underperformance and identify strategies to better support these schools and their students.
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