The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Thomas Es
ThomasES sits on Anacostia Avenue in Northeast Washington, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. It is a small neighborhood elementary school, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across the early grades and a slight thinning in the upper elementary years. The student body is almost entirely Black, with a small Hispanic presence and virtually no other racial or ethnic representation. Information on free or reduced-price lunch, special education, and English learner populations was not available, so the picture of how the school serves its most vulnerable students is incomplete from this data.
Academic results are the clearest soft spot in what is available. On the most recent state assessment, roughly one in seven students met or exceeded expectations in math, and slightly fewer than one in five did so in English language arts. Science results from an earlier testing cycle show essentially no fifth graders reaching proficiency, though nearly all eligible students participated. These are low proficiency levels by any reading. A parent considering Thomas may want to look into this further with the school, asking what supports and interventions are in place and how the staff approaches literacy and numeracy growth for students performing below grade level. The data does not include multi-year trend information, so it is not possible to say from these figures whether performance is improving, declining, or holding steady.
The school sits in the 20019 zip code, an area where housing values run well below the District of Columbia as a whole. Typical home values here are roughly a third lower than the citywide benchmark, and rents are similarly modest by D.C. standards. Home values in this zip code have been declining year over year, while rents have crept up slightly. For families focused on affordability within the District, this corner of Northeast Washington offers a lower cost of living than much of the city, though that comes with the academic questions the assessment data raises. The broader community context for Washington as a whole, a federal-government-centered city with major international institutions, a sprawling park system anchored by the National Mall, and extensive transit connecting neighborhoods across the capital region, frames the setting. But Thomas serves a specific neighborhood whose housing market and demographic profile differ sharply from the city's wealthier quadrants.
DCPS as a district has made several parent-relevant moves. Beginning in the current school year, the district implemented a system-wide cell phone restriction tied to legislation aimed at distraction-free learning, which applies across all schools including Thomas. The district is also operating under a multi-year strategic plan focused on academic success, student connectedness, and preparation for what comes after elementary school. A recent capital addition opened new middle-grade capacity at Leckie Education Campus in Ward 8, which may matter for Thomas families thinking about the transition after fifth grade, though that campus serves a different part of Southeast Washington.
What the data does not tell is as important as what it does. There is no information on course offerings, after-school programs, arts or music instruction, staffing ratios, attendance rates, discipline patterns, or school climate. The school's Title I status, magnet designation, and locale classification are all unreported here. Without these pieces, a parent cannot fully assess the day-to-day environment or the range of opportunities beyond core academics. What is visible is a small, community-rooted elementary school serving a nearly homogeneous Black student population in an affordable corner of Northeast Washington, with state test results that indicate real academic challenges. A family weighing Thomas would benefit from visiting the building, talking with teachers and the principal, and asking directly how the school plans to move students toward proficiency.
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