The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Kipp Dc - Will Academy Pcs
KIPP DC - WILL Academy PCS is a public charter middle school serving grades five through eight, located on P Street NW in Washington, D.C. It operates under the KIPP DC PCS charter network, one of the larger charter operators in the District. The school sits in a part of the city where housing costs run well above national levels, with typical home values in the surrounding ZIP code exceeding the state benchmark and rents reflecting a pricey urban market. Recent values have softened somewhat, but the area remains expensive relative to most of the country.
The school's enrollment is modest for a middle school, with students distributed fairly evenly across the four grade levels it serves. The student body is almost entirely Black, with a very small Hispanic presence and no other racial or ethnic groups represented in the reported figures. Information on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility was not available, and data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was also missing, so a full picture of the school's special-population makeup is not possible from what was provided.
On the academic side, the most recent state assessment results show proficiency levels that are low in both core subjects. In math, the share of students meeting or exceeding expectations was under one in five. In English language arts, the result was similar, with proficiency also below one in five. Science results from an earlier assessment cycle were even lower, with both fifth-grade and eighth-grade proficiency falling into the lowest reported band. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say from this data whether performance is improving, declining, or holding steady. A parent weighing this school may want to look into the academic trajectory and support structures directly with the school, since the available snapshot raises clear questions about attainment.
Because WILL Academy serves only grades five through eight, it has no graduation rate, no high school course access data, and no AP or dual-credit offerings to report. These gaps reflect the grade band rather than any omission by the school. The data set also did not include information on discipline, staffing ratios, attendance, or specific program offerings such as arts, athletics, or extracurriculars, so those dimensions of the school environment cannot be described here.
The broader setting is Washington, D.C., a federally driven city where government employment, international institutions, lobbying firms, and associations anchor the economy. The school's location in the northwest quadrant places it in a dense, walkable urban fabric laid out under the L'Enfant Plan, with broad diagonal avenues and proximity to the city's monumental core. The surrounding neighborhood is part of a district-wide pattern of distributed civic life rather than a single traditional downtown, and the city's Metrorail and bus systems connect the area to Maryland and Virginia suburbs. The housing market around the school is expensive, with home values well above national figures and rents that reflect D.C.'s tight urban market, though both have edged down slightly in recent months.
KIPP as a national network is known for its structured approach, extended school days, and college-preparatory mission, and WILL Academy operates within that framework. The district brief did not surface any specific parent-relevant changes or initiatives from the operator in recent periods, so nothing new on that front can be reported. A family considering this school would be looking at a small, nearly entirely Black middle school in an expensive, centrally located D.C. neighborhood, with current state test results that sit low and a lack of available detail on special populations, discipline, staffing, and programs. Those are the dimensions worth pressing on in a visit or conversation with school leadership.
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