The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Kimball Es
KimballElementary School sits on Minnesota Avenue in Southeast Washington, serving prekindergarten through fifth grade as part of the District of Columbia Public Schools system. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, drawing its enrollment almost entirely from the surrounding Ward 7 neighborhood. The student body is overwhelmingly Black, with only a handful of students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds. This homogeneity reflects the residential patterns of this part of the city, where families are largely African American and the housing stock is more affordable than in much of the District.
The school's academic results are a concern. On the most recent DC state assessments for grades three through eight, proficiency rates in both math and English language arts were well below what families would hope to see, with math particularly low. Science results from an earlier testing cycle were even weaker, with essentially no fifth graders reaching proficiency. Participation was solid, so the low scores are not an artifact of students opting out. These numbers do not tell the whole story of what happens in the building day to day, but they are the clearest signal available, and a parent considering Kimball would want to ask school leaders directly what improvement efforts are underway and how progress is being measured. Multi-year trend data was not available, so there is no way to tell from the provided information whether scores are improving, stable, or declining.
Several data points that would help round out the picture are missing. Free and reduced-price lunch rates were not reported, though given the neighborhood and the near-unanimity of the student demographics, the school almost certainly serves a high-poverty population. Individualized education program rates and English learner counts were also absent. Information on staffing, discipline, attendance, course access, and any specialized programs was not available in the data provided. Title I status was not reported. These gaps mean the portrait here is incomplete, and a family would benefit from asking the school directly about supports for students with special needs, English language learners, and any enrichment or intervention programming.
Housing in the school's zip code is among the more affordable in the District, with typical home values sitting well below the citywide benchmark and also modestly below the national figure. Values have been declining year over year, which may reflect broader pressures on this part of Southeast. Renting is notably cheaper than carrying a mortgage here, which shapes who can settle in the neighborhood and for how long. Rents are moderate relative to income, while purchasing requires a stretch given current mortgage rates. This housing context means the school serves a community where mobility can be a factor, and where families who rent may face uncertainty about long-term roots in the area.
DCPS as a district has been moving on several fronts that touch Kimball. A new cell phone restriction takes effect across all district schools in the current school year, tied to city legislation aimed at reducing classroom distraction. The district's five-year strategic plan, A Capital Commitment, is meant to steer improvement in academics, student connection, and post-school readiness across all DCPS buildings. In Southeast specifically, the district recently added middle school capacity at the Leckie Education Campus in Ward 8, which could matter to Kimball families thinking about where their children go next.
Kimball is a small elementary school serving a tight-knit, predominantly Black community in a part of the city where housing is relatively accessible but where academic outcomes have been weak. Families for whom a neighborhood school with deep community ties matters, and who are willing to engage actively with school leadership on academic improvement, may find a fit here. Those prioritizing strong proficiency numbers or a wide range of program offerings may want to look at other options or push for more information about what is changing at the school. The data available tells a clear story about where Kimball stands now; it does not tell the full story of what the school is working toward.
See more original research from School Decision →