Van Ness Elementary School

Q: Is Van Ness Elementary School a good school?

Van Ness Elementary School ranks 66 th of 126 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Van Ness Elementary School is a public elementary school in Washington, DC, serving 372 students in grades PK-5 as part of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) district.

Van Ness faces significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics that lag far behind the DCPS and District of Columbia averages. In 5th grade, for example, only 18.9% of Van Ness students were proficient in ELA, compared to 38.3% for DCPS and 33.9% for the district. The school's racial makeup is also quite different from nearby schools, with a majority African American student population (63.71%) and a much smaller White minority (20.7%) compared to schools like Brent Elementary School, which has a 63.96% White student population. Despite higher spending per student and a lower student-teacher ratio, Van Ness's academic performance and overall school quality, as reflected in its 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, lag behind many of the neighboring schools, such as Watkins Elementary School (4-star rating) and Brent Elementary (5-star rating).

The challenges facing Van Ness Elementary School suggest the need for targeted interventions and support to address the underlying issues and improve student outcomes. While factors like funding and staffing may play a role, the significant disparities in academic performance and school quality compared to nearby schools indicate that more comprehensive strategies are required to ensure that all students at Van Ness have the opportunity to succeed.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1150 5th St SE
Washington, DC 20003

(202) 727-4314

District: District of Columbia Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
66^th of 126 District Of Columbia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $24,187

Students who attend Van Ness Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Jefferson Middle School Academy
High:	Eastern High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.0

Number of students: 372

Racial breakdown:

African American:

63.7%

White:

20.7%

Two or more races:

9.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 32.6%

See top rated District Of Columbia elementary schools

Compare Van Ness Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Van Ness Elementary School ranks worse than 52.4% of elementary schools in District Of Columbia. It also ranks 41^st among 75 ranked elementary schools in the District of Columbia Public Schools. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 38.14. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (63.7%), White (20.7%), two or more races (9.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Van Ness Elementary School is 13. 69 elementary schools in the District of Columbia Public Schools have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Van Ness Elementary School employs 28.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Van Ness Elementary School is $24,187. 66 elementary schools in the District of Columbia Public Schools spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Van Ness Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Van Ness Elementary School 66^th of 126 District Of Columbia public elementary schools. (See Van Ness Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

African American students:

District of Columbia Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks District of Columbia Public Schools 26^th of 47 District Of Columbia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Van Ness Elementary School.

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Rank History for Van Ness Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Van Ness Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DC State Percentile
2022	43.99	45^th	97	53.6%
2023	41.26	63^rd	128	50.8%
2024	38.14	66^th	126	47.6%

See the entire list of District Of Columbia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for African American students at Van Ness Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	DC State Percentile
2022	40.49	22^nd	35	37.1%
2023	32.80	41^st	60	31.7%
2024	21.51	55^th	63	12.7%

See the entire list of Best District Of Columbia Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Office of the State Superintendent of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, November 24, 2021

This is my daughter's second year at Van Ness and I am thoroughly impressed with the school. The faculty seem enthusiastic and they keep the children pumped to learn. The principal is just stellar. I love the focus on socio-emotional health and wellness too. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Van Ness Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2016	35	39	3	5	1	0	3	86
2017	60	84	2	14	1	0	10	171
2018	68	111	1	14	1	1	19	215
2019	80	149	1	17	1	1	21	270
2020	87	190	3	17	1	1	26	325
2021	96	211	1	17	1	1	42	369
2022	93	220	3	20	0	0	35	371
2023	77	237	3	19	1	0	35	372

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Van Ness Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	86	9.0	9.5	32.6
2017	171	14.0	12.2	n/a
2018	215	15.5	13.8	n/a
2019	270	23.0	11.7	n/a
2020	325	26.0	12.5	n/a
2021	369	27.7	13.3	n/a
2022	371	25.0	14.8	n/a
2023	372	28.5	13.0	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Van Ness Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	86	9.0	9.5	32.6
2017	171	14.0	12.2	n/a
2018	215	15.5	13.8	n/a
2019	270	23.0	11.7	n/a
2020	325	26.0	12.5	n/a
2021	369	27.7	13.3	n/a
2022	371	25.0	14.8	n/a
2023	372	28.5	13.0	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Van Ness Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,890 (9.8%)	$17,388 (90.2%)	$19,277
2020	$2,121 (11.0%)	$17,212 (89.0%)	$19,333
2021	$2,816 (14.3%)	$16,901 (85.7%)	$19,717
2022	$4,435 (19.8%)	$17,911 (80.2%)	$22,346
2023	$4,247 (17.6%)	$19,940 (82.4%)	$24,187

Data source: District Of Columbia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Van Ness Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Van Ness Elementary School)	39.4	26.3	13.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (District of Columbia Public Schools)	43.2	37.4	5.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (District Of Columbia)	41.8	30.6	11.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Van Ness Elementary School)	52.7	31.6	21.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (District of Columbia Public Schools)	35.8	32.3	3.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (District Of Columbia)	33.1	26.1	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	270	372	37.8%
African American	149	237	59.1%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	1	3	200%
Hispanic	17	19	11.8%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	80	77	3.8%
Two or More Races	21	35	66.7%

Schools Near Van Ness Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				DC CAPE English Language Arts (2024)			DC CAPE Mathematics (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	DC CAPE English Language Arts 3rd Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 4th Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 5th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 3rd Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 4th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Van Ness Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1150 5th St SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 727-4314	372	29	13.0		77 (20.7%)	237 (63.7%)	19 (5.1%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (9.4%)	38.1	66^th of 126 public elementary schools	47.6%		41.3	63^rd of 128 public elementary schools	50.8%	3	25.0	39.1	18.9	15.7	17.2	5.3	$24,187	$4,247	$19,940
Tyler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1001 G St. SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 939-4810	510	45	11.3		99 (19.4%)	317 (62.2%)	69 (13.5%)	6 (1.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.1%)	60.3	35^th of 126 public elementary schools	72.2%		57	38^th of 128 public elementary schools	70.3%	3	42.6	46.5	32.0	32.4	32.4	14.0	$26,088	$3,579	$22,509
Brent Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	301 North Carolina Ave. SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 698-3363	419	33	12.6		268 (64.0%)	48 (11.5%)	43 (10.3%)	18 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (10.0%)	96.3	10^th of 126 public elementary schools	92.1%		95.6	10^th of 128 public elementary schools	92.2%		59.7	70.0	57.1	75.8	85.0	67.8	$23,962	$3,147	$20,815
Watkins Elementary School (Capitol Hill Cluster)	Public	1-5	420 12th St. SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 698-3355	374	29	12.8		120 (32.1%)	217 (58.0%)	21 (5.6%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.9%)	65.2	30^th of 126 public elementary schools	76.2%		68.4	29^th of 128 public elementary schools	77.3%	1	32.5	37.2	37.3	51.3	38.4	26.9	$23,341	$3,391	$19,950
Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-3	1345 Potomac Avenue SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	Friendship PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 547-5800	296	25	11.7		1 (0.3%)	290 (98.0%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	24.5			20.4			$24,966	$5,552	$19,415
Cedar Tree Academy PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-2	701 Howard Road SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	Cedar Tree Academy PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 610-4193	463	25	18.5		1 (0.2%)	427 (92.2%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.8%)								(n/a)							$22,569	$4,175	$18,394
Eagle Academy PCS - Capitol Riverfront	Public, Charter	PK, KG-3	1900 Half Street SW	Washington	20536	District Of Columbia	Eagle Academy PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 459-6825	128	10	12.8		5 (3.9%)	121 (94.5%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)								(n/a)	6.7			13.3			$49,907	$13,837	$36,070
Payne Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1445 C St. SE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 698-3262	317	27	11.7		113 (35.6%)	159 (50.2%)	22 (6.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.6%)	78.3	21^st of 126 public elementary schools	83.3%		77.1	23^rd of 128 public elementary schools	82.0%	2	53.7	50.0	51.2	63.4	37.5	29.3	$30,419	$3,821	$26,599
Savoy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2400 Shannon Pl. SE	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 939-2000	238	27	8.8		0 (0.0%)	233 (97.9%)	3 (1.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)								(n/a)			3.1				$30,807	$4,740	$26,068
Amidon-Bowen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	401 I St. SW	Washington	20024	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 724-4867	336	30	11.2		40 (11.9%)	253 (75.3%)	27 (8.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)	29.8	84^th of 126 public elementary schools	33.3%		40.1	64^th of 128 public elementary schools	50.0%	20	18.4	13.8	25.0	12.2	10.3	18.2	$28,576	$3,986	$24,590

Frequently Asked Questions about Van Ness Elementary School

Is Van Ness Elementary School a good school?

Van Ness Elementary School ranks 66^th of 126 District Of Columbia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Van Ness Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Van Ness Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jefferson Middle School Academy
High : Eastern High School

What is the racial makeup of Van Ness Elementary School?

Students at Van Ness Elementary School are 64% African American, 21% White, 9% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

What district is Van Ness Elementary School in?

District of Columbia Public Schools

How many students attend Van Ness Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 372 students attended Van Ness Elementary School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.