Education in DC – An Overview
Public education in Washington, DC comprises more than 60 local education agencies (LEAs) overseeing over 200 individual campuses. This includes the District of Columbia Public Charter School (DCPS), with over 100 campuses, and more than 100 public charter schools operated by 60+ nonprofits.
To enroll in kindergarten, a student must have reached the age of 5 years on or before September 30 of that school year or come from a state where students must have reached the age of 5 years on or before a date later than September 30, per the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
Under a directive from the Chancellor of DCPS, any child in grades K-12 of a parent actively serving in the military and living on a military installation can enroll, at any point during the school year, in the DCPS school of their choice, pending classroom and/or program availability. For more information on this opportunity for military families, contact a DCPS enrollment specialist at [email protected] or (202) 478-5738.
District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)
Every K–12 student who lives in Washington, DC, has at least one right-to-attend DCPS school — a school where he or she can enroll at any time. A right-to-attend school is determined by a family’s address and the feeder pattern of the student’s current school. Students do not need to apply to their right-to-attend school(s) for grades K–12. All DCPS schools are free to District residents.
What is my child’s right-to-attend school within DCPS?
Here are the right-to-attend schools for students residing at the following locations:
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB):
| School | Address | Grades |
| Leckie Elementary School | 4201 ML King Ave. SW Washington, DC 20032 |
Grades pre-K 3-5 |
| Hart Middle School | 601 Mississippi Ave, SE Washington, DC 20032 |
Grades 6-8 |
| Ballou High School | 3401 4th Street, SE Washington, DC 20032 |
Grades 9-12 |
Fort Lesley J. McNair:
| School | Address | Grades |
| Tyler Elementary School | 1001 G Street SE Washington, DC 20003 |
Grades pre-K 3-5 |
| Jefferson Middle School Academy |
801 Seventh Street SW |
Grades 6-8 |
| Eastern High School | 1700 East Capitol Street NE Washington DC 20003 |
Grades 9-12 |
Marine Barracks, Washington, DC:
| School | Address | Grades |
| Amidon Bowen Elementary School | 401 I Street SW Washington DC 20024 |
Grades pre-K 3-5 |
| Jefferson Middle School Academy | 801 Seventh Street SW Washington, DC 20024 |
Grades 6-8 |
| Eastern High School | 1700 East Capitol Street NE Washington, DC 20003 |
Grades 9-12 |
Washington Navy Yard:
| School | Address | Grades |
| Van Ness Elementary School | 1150 South Street SE Washington, DC 20003 |
Grades pre-K 3-1st |
| Amidon Bowen Elementary School | 401 I Street SW Washington DC 20024 |
Grades 2-5 |
| Jefferson Middle School Academy | 801 7th St SW, Washington, DC 20024 | Grades 6-8 |
| Eastern High School | 1700 East Capitol Street NE Washington, DC 20003 |
Grades 9-12 |
You may also find your right-to-attend school within DCPS and you can view and compare school profiles.
How do I enroll my child in his or her right-to-attend DCPS school?
To enroll your child in his or her K-12 right-to-attend school within DCPS, you must complete the following documents in the DCPS Enrollment Packet and submit them in person to your child’s right-to-attend school:
- Student Enrollment Form
- Home Language Survey
- Military Recruitment Opt-Out/Media Release Form
- DC Universal Health Certificate
- Oral Health Assessment Form
You may also contact your selected school directly or a DCPS enrollment specialist at [email protected] or (202) 478-5738.
How do I enroll my child within DCPS but at a school other than my right-to-attend school (i.e. an out-of-boundary school)?
- For this school year: Contact a DCPS enrollment specialist at [email protected] or (202) 478-5738.
- For next school year: Submit an application through the My School DC Common Lottery (more information here) and contact a DCPS enrollment specialist at [email protected] or (202) 478-5738.
- At one of six citywide selective DCPS high schools: See My School DC for more information.