The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Roots Pcs
Roots PCS is a small public charter elementary school in Washington, D.C., serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade from its Kennedy Street NW campus in the 20011 zip code. It is a tight-knit place, with a very small total enrollment spread across seven grade levels. The school serves an almost entirely Black student body, reflecting the demographics of the surrounding Upper Northwest neighborhood. Beyond race, though, the picture gets thinner. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner status was not available, so it is hard to gauge the full economic and support profile of the student population from what is published. A parent looking into Roots would want to ask the school directly about these dimensions.
On academic outcomes, the most recent state assessment results from the 2024-25 school year show very low proficiency in both tested subjects. In math, only a small fraction of third through eighth graders met or exceeded expectations. In English language arts, the share meeting that bar was somewhat higher but still low by any measure. Science results from the prior testing cycle were suppressed, so no usable proficiency picture is available there. These are difficult numbers to sit with, especially alongside the school's public recognition. Roots was publicly reported as a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School for Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing, a federal designation that acknowledges progress in narrowing gaps between student subgroups. A parent may want to look into how the school reconciles that recognition with the current proficiency levels, and what trajectory the school has been on. The data available does not include multi-year trend comparisons, so the direction of change is not visible from what is published here.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. No data was available on discipline, course access, staffing levels, attendance, or other school environment measures. These gaps limit the picture considerably. What is clear is that Roots operates as a neighborhood-scale charter option with very small classes and a narrow grade band, the kind of setting where families may expect close attention to individual students.
The surrounding area shapes what living near the school looks like. The 20011 zip code sits in Upper Northwest D.C., a part of the city where housing costs run above the District's already elevated baseline. Home values in the zip code are higher than the state benchmark, and rents are similarly steep. Both homeownership and renting near Roots require a substantial income relative to national norms. Recent trend data shows home values have softened modestly year over year, while rents have edged up slightly. Mortgage rates nationally remain elevated by recent historical standards. For a family considering Roots, the cost of living in the attendance zone is a real factor, and the school's small size means it draws from a relatively local catchment.
Washington, D.C. itself is a government-driven city, with federal employment anchoring the regional economy and international organizations, think tanks, and lobbying firms adding to the mix. The city's layout, designed under the L'Enfant Plan, distributes civic life across many neighborhoods rather than concentrating it in a single downtown. Schools and local institutions are similarly spread out. The Metrorail and Metrobus systems connect neighborhoods to each other and to the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. For a family at Roots, this means access to the broader cultural and institutional resources of the capital, from Smithsonian museums to public libraries, though the school's immediate setting is residential rather than monumental.
What Roots offers is a very small, community-rooted elementary charter with a homogenous student body and a publicly recognized commitment to closing achievement gaps. The current proficiency data is sobering, and the available record does not provide enough context to explain the gap between that data and the Blue Ribbon designation. Families considering this school should visit, ask about the school's growth data and support services, and get a direct read on whether the small, close-knit environment is the right fit for their child.
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