The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Capital City Pcs
Capital City PCS is a single charter network in Washington, D.C., organized as three schools on one continuous pre-kindergarten-through-twelfth-grade pathway: a lower school, a middle school, and a high school. The enrollment is modest for a district spanning that many grades, and the student body skews heavily Hispanic, with a substantial Black population and small Asian, white, and multiracial shares. The network serves a community where many families are likely navigating language and economic challenges, though the free-and-reduced-price-lunch rate, English-learner count, and individualized-education-plan figures were all missing from the data we received, so we cannot characterize those populations with specificity.
The district brief notes that Capital City follows the EL Education model and runs an inclusion program, both of which are ongoing features rather than recent changes. EL Education is a project-based, expeditionary-learning approach that emphasizes character growth alongside academics. The inclusion program points toward an integrated model for students with disabilities rather than a separate-track setup. Beyond those two publicly reported programmatic anchors, we found little on strategic priorities or recent shifts, so we leave that space empty rather than guess.
On state assessments, the 2024-25 DCCAPE results tell a mixed and in some places concerning story. Math proficiency is low across every tested grade from third through eighth, with results that dip particularly sharply in the middle grades. Seventh grade stands out as the strongest math result, but even that remains well below what most families would hope to see. English language arts results are more encouraging, generally running higher than the math figures, with the upper-middle grades showing the strongest reading performance. Still, the ELA proficiency rates leave a large share of students not yet meeting the state's proficient-or-above bar.
Science results come from an earlier testing cycle and only two grades. Fifth-grade science proficiency is modest, while eighth-grade science proficiency falls into a very low reported range, with no students confirmed as proficient in the count that was reported. A parent weighing this school for a science-focused student may want to look into this further with the school to understand what instruction and supports look like in that subject.
No graduation rate was provided in the data we received. Because the district includes a high school, this is a gap a family would want to ask about directly rather than assume one way or the other. Similarly, no participation rates were reported for the most recent math and ELA assessments, and average scale scores were missing across the board, so we cannot speak to whether students are trending upward or downward over time. The multi-year trend data returned empty.
We also did not receive housing values, rents, or a community economic context for the surrounding area, so there is no housing-market picture to pair with the academic profile. The locale brief was absent, and no neighbor comparison set was provided, so we cannot position Capital City against nearby D.C. charter or traditional public schools.
What the available evidence does show is a charter network with a clear educational philosophy, a cohesive pre-k-through-twelve structure, and a student demographic profile that suggests it is serving a population with substantial needs. The reading results, while not strong, are the brighter side of the picture. The math and science results are softer, and a family considering this school should treat those as an open question worth raising directly. The missing graduation rate is the single largest gap for any high-school family to close on their own.
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