The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on C.w. Harris Es
C.W. Harris Elementary School sits on 53rd Street in Southeast Washington, a regular public school in the District of Columbia Public Schools system serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a small school for its grade band, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across the early childhood and elementary grades, and a pre-kindergarten cohort that makes up a substantial portion of the student body. The school's population is overwhelmingly Black, with a small Hispanic presence and a handful of students identifying as white or multiracial. Free-and-reduced-price lunch data was not available, and information on special education and English learner populations was missing as well, so a parent looking for details on those services would want to ask the school directly.
On the most recent state assessment, C.W. Harris posted proficiency rates that were low in both tested subjects. In English language arts, roughly a quarter of students met or exceeded expectations. In math, the share meeting that bar was considerably smaller. Science results, drawn from an earlier testing cycle for fifth grade only, showed essentially no students reaching proficiency, though participation was high. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say from these figures whether performance is improving, holding steady, or declining. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, including how the staff is responding to these results and what supports are in place.
The school does not have a graduation rate or high school course offerings, which is expected for an elementary school serving only the early grades. No gifted, magnet, or specialized program information was provided. Staffing, discipline, attendance, and course access data were all absent from the available records, which limits what can be said about the day-to-day environment and classroom resources.
C.W. Harris is part of DCPS, the largest public school district in the nation's capital. The district recently implemented a system-wide cell phone policy for the current school year, restricting phone use during the school day under a city law aimed at reducing classroom distraction. The district is also working through a multi-year strategic plan focused on academic success, student connectedness, and post-school preparation. In Southeast Washington specifically, DCPS recently opened a new middle school addition at Leckie Education Campus in Ward Eight, which could matter to C.W. Harris families thinking about where their children go after fifth grade.
The school's zip code sits in a housing market that is well below the D.C. statewide benchmark for home values and has been declining in recent months. Typical home values in this area are close to the national figure, while rents run modest by D.C. standards. The rent-to-income ratio suggests renting here is relatively manageable compared with owning, and the gap between monthly mortgage costs and rent is wide enough that renting is the more affordable option for most families. This is a part of the city where housing costs less than in much of the District, which may reflect both opportunity and the broader economic conditions of the neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River.
Washington itself is a city shaped by the federal government, with agencies, embassies, and international organizations anchoring the economy. But that identity is concentrated in the monumental core and the Northwest quadrant. Schools and neighborhood life are distributed across the city's many neighborhoods, and the area around C.W. Harris is far from the Mall and the lobbying corridors of K Street. A family considering this school is choosing a community-facing elementary in a residential corner of Southeast, with the academic challenges the data shows and the housing accessibility that comes with the location. What is available here points to a school serving a close-knit, predominantly Black student body in an affordable part of the city, with proficiency outcomes that warrant direct conversation with school leadership before enrolling.
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