The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in English language arts. The lowest is 19% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Friendship Pcs - Southeast Middle
Friendship PCS - Southeast Middle sits on Milwaukee Place in Washington's Ward 8, serving grades four through eight as part of the Friendship Public Charter School network. The campus sits in the southeast quadrant, a part of the city where housing values run well below the District-wide benchmark. Typical homes in this zip code are priced in a range that reflects one of the more affordable corners of the District, and recent values have softened further year over year. Rents here have moved in the opposite direction, rising at a modest clip, which parents renting in the area will feel. The broader Washington economy is anchored by the federal government, international organizations, and a dense concentration of associations and lobbying firms, all of which keep the regional labor market relatively steady.
The school itself is a mid-sized middle-grade campus, with enrollment distributed quite evenly across the five grades it serves. The student body is nearly entirely Black, with a very small number of Hispanic students and students of two or more races. The school does not report free-or-reduced-price lunch data, IEP rates, or English-learner counts, so a parent would need to ask the school directly for a full picture of the economic and special-education populations it serves.
On the most recent DC state assessment, ELA results were the relative bright spot. Roughly two-fifths of students met or exceeded expectations in English language arts, a mark that sits below where most parents would want it but that does show a meaningful share of students reaching proficiency in reading and writing. Math was considerably weaker, with a small fraction of students meeting the proficiency bar. A parent considering this school may want to look into the school's math instruction and intervention approach in more detail with school leadership.
Science results, drawn from an earlier assessment cycle, were stark. At both the fifth-grade and eighth-grade tested grades, proficiency was reported in the lowest possible range, with no students scoring proficient at either grade level. Participation was strong for both tested grades, so the results reflect nearly the full student body rather than a testing gap. These are difficult numbers to sit with, and they point to an area where a parent would reasonably want a clear, direct conversation with the school about what is being done.
No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say from this data whether proficiency is improving or declining over time. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance was not provided, and civil-rights outcomes were not included in the available material. Title I status was also not reported, which is unusual for a school serving this community and may reflect a data gap rather than an actual designation.
Friendship PCS as a network has gone through meaningful structural shifts that matter to families. The DC Public Charter School Board voted unanimously in 2023 to continue the network's charter following a periodic review, and a new charter agreement was executed in 2024, which gives families some assurance about the network's long-term stability across its campuses. The network has also adjusted its footprint in recent years, acquiring a former Hope Community campus and closing its Technology Preparatory Middle campus, consolidating middle-grade students into remaining locations.
For a family weighing Southeast Middle, the picture is one of a community-centered charter campus serving a nearly homogeneous Black student body in an affordable corner of the District. ELA outcomes show real ground to build on. Math and science results are the areas where a parent should press hardest for answers before enrolling, and the missing data on special populations and school climate means a visit and direct questions to leadership are essential.
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