The top reported proficiency rate is 16% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Sousa Ms
Sousa Middle School sits on Ely Place in Southeast Washington, part of the District of Columbia Public Schools system. It serves grades six through eight in a regular public school setting, drawing from the surrounding Ward 7 neighborhoods. The enrollment is small for a middle school, with roughly equal numbers across the three grade levels. The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller Hispanic presence and a handful of students identifying as two or more races or white. Information on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education rates, and English learner status was not available in the data we reviewed, so we cannot characterize the school's economic demographics or the share of students receiving specialized services.
On the most recent DC Long-Term Goals assessment for the 2024-25 school year, proficiency rates were low in both tested subjects. In math, roughly one in nine students met or exceeded expectations. In English language arts, the proportion was somewhat higher but still well below what most families would consider strong, with fewer than one in five students reaching proficiency. Science results from the 2022-23 eighth-grade assessment were also very low, with proficiency in the lowest reported band and no students scoring proficient or above among the tested group. Participation in that science assessment was high, which means the low result reflects student performance rather than a testing gap. These are the numbers the state reports, and a parent considering Sousa would want to look into what the school is doing to strengthen core academic outcomes, what supports are available for students working below grade level, and how the administration is responding to these results.
No multi-year trend data was available, so we cannot say whether these proficiency rates are improving, stable, or declining relative to prior years. The assessment methodology flags trend comparability as unknown, which means even if prior figures existed, year-to-year comparisons would require caution.
The school does not have a graduation rate because it serves only middle grades. That metric simply does not apply here. Similarly, no civil rights data, course access information, staffing figures, attendance rates, or discipline data were provided, so we cannot speak to teacher experience, advanced course offerings, or school climate from the available information. Program offerings were not listed, and no neighbor comparison set was available to position Sousa against other DC middle schools.
The housing market around the school tells its own story. The zip code's typical home value sits below both the DC-wide benchmark and the national figure, and it has declined over the past year. Rents are modest relative to the broader Washington metro area. For a family renting in the area, housing costs consume roughly a third of a typical household income, which is on the higher side but not unusual for the region. Buying is more of a stretch, with estimated monthly mortgage costs well above typical rent. This is a working-class to middle-income part of the city, and the housing data is consistent with that profile.
Washington itself is, of course, the federal capital, a city built around government employment, international institutions, and a sprawling network of associations, nonprofits, and lobbying firms. The L'Enfant Plan's wide avenues and quadrant system create distinct neighborhood identities, and Sousa sits in one of the more residential sections of Southeast, far from the monumental core but still within the city's transit and civic network. The broader DCPS system has recently implemented a district-wide cell phone restriction for the 2025-26 school year under the Heads Up Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act, and the district is operating under a five-year strategic plan called A Capital Commitment covering 2023 through 2028. In January 2026, DCPS also opened a new middle school addition at Leckie Education Campus in Ward 8, which expands middle-grade capacity elsewhere in Southeast and may shift enrollment patterns in the surrounding area over time.
What the data paints is a small, predominantly Black middle school in Southeast DC facing serious academic challenges. Proficiency rates in math, ELA, and science are all low, and the available information does not include the kind of program, staffing, or climate details that would help explain why or what is being done about it. A family considering Sousa should ask directly about academic interventions, teacher turnover, available extracurriculars, and how the school is using its district strategic plan to address these outcomes. The neighborhood offers relatively affordable housing by DC standards, but the academic picture as reported is one a parent would want to understand in depth before committing.
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