The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in Math. The lowest is 60% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hearst Es
Hearst Elementary School sits on 37th Street NW in upper Northwest Washington, a part of the city where home values run well above the District's own benchmark and far above the national figure. The surrounding zip code is one of the more expensive residential markets in the capital, with typical home values that put ownership out of reach for many families without a substantial income. Rents, by contrast, sit closer to the national median, which may make the area more accessible to renting families than the purchase prices suggest. This is a neighborhood of established streets and quiet blocks within a city publicly described as a cosmopolitan, federally driven capital where the federal government dominates employment and embassies, international organizations, and lobbying firms line the civic corridors.
The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, with enrollment moderate for its grade band. Its student body is majority white, with Black students forming the next largest group, followed by smaller shares of multiracial, Hispanic, and Asian students. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not reported, so the economic mix of the student population cannot be characterized from what is available. The same gap exists for special-education and English-learner counts. A parent weighing Hearst for a child who needs one of those services would want to ask the school directly, since the data sections do not carry those figures.
Academically, Hearst stands out. In the most recent DC Long-Term Goals assessment, roughly three-quarters of tested students met or exceeded expectations in both math and English language arts, rates that place the school well above typical DCPS results. Science performance, measured at fifth grade on the DC Science assessment, was solid though lower than the math and ELA figures, with a clear majority of tested students reaching proficiency. Participation in that science assessment was near universal. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent steady performance, recent gains, or year-to-year fluctuation. What the current snapshot shows is a school where most students are meeting grade-level expectations across core subjects.
Hearst is a regular public school within DCPS, not a charter and not a magnet, so admission follows the district's enrollment rules rather than a lottery or specialized application. The DCPS district context is worth noting for families. Beginning in the current school year, DCPS implemented a district-wide cell phone restriction tied to the Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act, limiting phone use during the school day across all schools. The district is also working through "A Capital Commitment 2023-2028," a strategic plan focused on academic success, student connectedness, and preparation for what comes next. These are district-level initiatives that shape the environment at Hearst even when they are not school-specific.
Some things a parent might look for and not find here: course access data, staffing ratios, attendance figures, discipline data, and Title I status were all absent from the available records. These gaps are common for elementary schools where certain reporting categories do not apply or are not separately tracked, and they should not be read as weaknesses. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate, no AP or dual-credit data, and no college-readiness measure to report. What Hearst offers is a strong elementary academic record in an affluent, established Northwest neighborhood, within a district actively refining its approach to student focus and classroom environment. Families whose children are approaching pre-kindergarten or the early elementary years, and who value strong proficiency outcomes in a school with a diverse but majority-white enrollment, will find a clear basis here to schedule a visit and ask the questions the public data does not yet answer.
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