Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Q: Is Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts a good school?

Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts ranks 12 th of 34 District Of Columbia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts is a public charter high school in Washington, DC, serving around 300 students in grades 8-12 with a strong focus on journalism and media arts. The school is part of the Richard Wright PCS district, which is ranked 15 out of 47 districts in DC and has a 4-star rating.

Richard Wright PCS stands out for its significantly higher percentage of African American students (97.67%) compared to nearby schools like School Without Walls High School (26.08%) and Benjamin Banneker High School (69.95%). However, the school generally performs below the DC district average in standardized test scores, particularly in math, with only 1.98% of students proficient or better in PARCC Geometry compared to 12.78% for the district. While the school's ranking and rating have fluctuated between 12-15 out of 34 DC high schools and 3-4 stars, it performs relatively well for its special education and "at-risk" student subgroups.

Interestingly, Richard Wright PCS has a relatively high spending per student, ranging from $25,567 to $32,231 over the past few years, which is higher than the spending at some nearby schools. The school also maintains a low student-teacher ratio of around 13 students per teacher, lower than ratios at schools like Dunbar High School (14.3) and KIPP DC - College Preparatory PCS (11.8). However, the nearby schools like Dunbar High School (80.9%) and Benjamin Banneker High School (100%) have significantly higher four-year graduation rates compared to the unavailable data for Richard Wright PCS.

Detail:

Public, Charter 8-12

475 School Street SW
Washington, DC 20024

(202) 388-1011

District: Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

SchoolDigger Rank:
12^th of 34 District Of Columbia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $31,269

Student/teacher ratio: 13.0

Number of students: 300

Racial breakdown:

African American:

97.7%

Hispanic:

1.7%

Two or more races:

0.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 0%

See top rated District Of Columbia high schools

Compare Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts ranks better than 64.7% of high schools in District Of Columbia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.9. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (97.7%), Hispanic (1.7%), two or more races (0.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts is 13. (See more...)

Compare Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts employs 23 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts is $31,269.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts:

SchoolDigger ranks Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts 12^th of 34 District Of Columbia public high schools. (See Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts:

SchoolDigger ranks Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts 15^th of 47 District Of Columbia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

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Rank History for all students at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DC State Percentile
2014	51.47	15^th	35	57.1%
2015	39.90	15^th	29	48.3%
2016	43.44	10^th	31	67.7%
2017	46.41	13^th	34	61.8%
2018	38.57	12^th	34	64.7%
2019	39.01	15^th	34	55.9%
2022	33.10	14^th	30	53.3%
2023	32.94	15^th	34	55.9%
2024	40.90	12^th	34	64.7%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	47.77	8^th	25	68.0%

See the entire list of Best District Of Columbia High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	38.15	13^th	30	56.7%
2024	42.04	12^th	28	57.1%

See the entire list of Best District Of Columbia High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	38.81	15^th	32	53.1%
2019	35.43	17^th	31	45.2%

See the entire list of Best District Of Columbia High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	62.79	6^th	33	81.8%
2019	50.29	11^th	31	64.5%

See the entire list of Best District Of Columbia High Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	39.88	16^th	33	51.5%
2019	41.06	15^th	32	53.1%

See the entire list of Best District Of Columbia High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	DC State Percentile
2018	46.58	15^th	34	55.9%
2019	42.11	17^th	33	48.5%
2022	31.63	12^th	18	33.3%
2023	34.86	14^th	27	48.1%

See the entire list of Best District Of Columbia High 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

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Enrollment information for Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2012	0	122	2	0	0	0	0	124
2013	0	200	1	0	1	0	0	202
2014	0	319	2	1	0	0	0	322
2015	0	302	0	0	3	0	0	305
2016	0	281	3	0	0	0	0	284
2017	0	296	4	0	0	0	0	300
2018	1	276	5	0	0	0	0	282
2019	2	293	4	0	0	0	0	299
2020	2	296	4	0	0	1	0	303
2021	1	292	4	0	0	1	1	299
2022	1	289	3	0	0	2	1	296
2023	0	293	5	0	0	1	1	300

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 Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	124	8.0	15.5	89.5
2013	202	15.5	13.0	93.6
2014	322	25.6	12.5	99.1
2015	305	32.0	9.5	100
2016	284	29.0	9.7	0
2017	300	36.0	8.3	n/a
2018	282	23.0	12.2	n/a
2019	299	25.0	11.9	n/a
2020	303	26.0	11.6	n/a
2021	299	22.0	13.5	n/a
2022	296	22.5	13.1	n/a
2023	300	23.0	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 Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	124	8.0	15.5	89.5
2013	202	15.5	13.0	93.6
2014	322	25.6	12.5	99.1
2015	305	32.0	9.5	100
2016	284	29.0	9.7	0
2017	300	36.0	8.3	n/a
2018	282	23.0	12.2	n/a
2019	299	25.0	11.9	n/a
2020	303	26.0	11.6	n/a
2021	299	22.0	13.5	n/a
2022	296	22.5	13.1	n/a
2023	300	23.0	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 Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$3,692 (15.0%)	$20,884 (85.0%)	$24,576
2021	$2,660 (10.4%)	$22,907 (89.6%)	$25,567
2022	$7,036 (21.8%)	$25,195 (78.2%)	$32,231
2023	$6,662 (21.3%)	$24,607 (78.7%)	$31,269

Data source: District Of Columbia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

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.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 15^th of 34 High schools	Ranks 15^th of 34 High schools

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
8th Grade English Language Arts (Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts)	23.8	18.8	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts)	23.8	18.8	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (District Of Columbia)	39.6	38.7	0.9%
End of Course English II (Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts)	23	30.2	7.2%
End of Course English II (Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts)	23	30.2	7.2%
End of Course English II (District Of Columbia)	33.7	33.8	0.1%
End of Course Geometry (Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts)	6.3	2	4.3%
End of Course Geometry (Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts)	6.3	2	4.3%
End of Course Geometry (District Of Columbia)	17.2	12.8	4.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	299	300	0.3%
African American	293	293
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	4	5	25%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	2	0	100%
Two or More Races	0	1

Schools Near Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

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)				DC CAPE English II (2024)	DC CAPE Algebra II (2024)		DC CAPE Algebra I (2024)			DC CAPE Geometry (2024)			DC CAPE English I (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 5th Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 6th Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 7th Grade	DC CAPE English Language Arts 8th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 5th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 6th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 7th Grade	DC CAPE Mathematics 8th Grade	DC CAPE English II End of Course	DC CAPE Algebra II 9th Grade	DC CAPE Algebra II End of Course	DC CAPE Algebra I 9th Grade	DC CAPE Algebra I 10th Grade	DC CAPE Algebra I End of Course	DC CAPE Geometry 9th Grade	DC CAPE Geometry 10th Grade	DC CAPE Geometry End of Course	DC CAPE English I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts	Public, Charter	8-12	475 School Street SW	Washington	20024	District Of Columbia	Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 388-1011	300	23	13.0		0 (0.0%)	293 (97.7%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	40.9	12^th of 34 public high schools	64.7%		32.9	15^th of 34 public high schools	55.9%	3									34.7								1.5		$31,269	$6,662	$24,607
Basis Dc Pcs	Public, Charter	5-12	410 8th Street NW	Washington	20004	District Of Columbia	Basis Dc Pcs	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 804-6390	663	51	13.1		335 (50.5%)	126 (19.0%)	64 (9.7%)	42 (6.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	91 (13.7%)	96.3	2^nd of 34 public high schools	94.1%		92.1	3^rd of 34 public high schools	91.2%	1	71.2	73.3	71.0	76.0	61.4	66.4	68.2	77.2	95.9				89.2	89.2	50.9			89.4	$16,016	$927	$15,089
Girls Global Academy PCS	Public, Charter	9-12	733 8th Street NW	Washington	20001	District Of Columbia	Girls Global Academy PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 600-4822	163	22	7.4		1 (0.6%)	128 (78.5%)	28 (17.2%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.5%)	30.5	18^th of 34 public high schools	47.1%					(n/a)									9.3									25.5	$36,399	$4,056	$32,343
Goodwill Excel Center PCS	Public, Charter	9-12	1776 G Street NW	Washington	20006	District Of Columbia	Goodwill Excel Center PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 839-3650	405	18	22.5		2 (0.5%)	386 (95.3%)	13 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)								(n/a)																			$23,824	$170	$23,653
Dunbar High School	Public	9-12	101 N St. NW	Washington	20001	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 698-3762	868	61	14.3		2 (0.2%)	802 (92.4%)	60 (6.9%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	22.1	30^th of 34 public high schools	11.8%		28.4	23^rd of 34 public high schools	32.4%	7									14.8					0.7	1.7	0.5	0.8	14.1	$27,545	$3,904	$23,641
School Without Walls High School	Public	9-12	2130 G St. NW	Washington	20037	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(202) 645-9690	602	39	15.6		288 (47.8%)	157 (26.1%)	64 (10.6%)	41 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (8.3%)	93.1	3^rd of 34 public high schools	91.2%		93	1^st of 34 public high schools	97.1%	2									95.4	83.3	83.3			64.0			66.4	98.7	$24,881	$3,127	$21,754
Kingsman Academy PCS	Public, Charter	6-12	1375 E Street NE	Washington	20002	District Of Columbia	Kingsman Academy PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 547-1028	315	10	31.5		1 (0.3%)	310 (98.4%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)								(n/a)																			$33,215	$4,733	$28,482
Benjamin Banneker High School	Public	9-12	1600 9th St. NW	Washington	20001	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 671-6320	579	34	17.0		28 (4.8%)	405 (69.9%)	116 (20.0%)	13 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.8%)	96.3	1^st of 34 public high schools	97.1%		92.9	2^nd of 34 public high schools	94.1%	1									91.8			51.0		51.0		46.1	55.3	92.4	$22,858	$3,357	$19,501
Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS	Public, Charter	9-12	2427 Martin Luther King Jr Av	Washington	20020	District Of Columbia	Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 563-6862	318	37	8.5		0 (0.0%)	313 (98.4%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	29.1	21^st of 34 public high schools	38.2%		25.9	26^th of 34 public high schools	23.5%	5									16.0			5.5		5.4			1.4	18.1	$37,548	$5,082	$32,465
Eastern High School	Public	9-12	1700 East Capitol St. NE	Washington	20003	District Of Columbia	District of Columbia Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(202) 698-4500	865	65	13.4		21 (2.4%)	785 (90.8%)	47 (5.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.0%)	23.6	29^th of 34 public high schools	14.7%		31.5	19^th of 34 public high schools	44.1%	10									21.2						1.2	1.0	1.0	9.3	$27,913	$4,070	$23,843

Frequently Asked Questions about Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

What district is Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts in?

Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts

Is Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts a good school?

Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts ranks 12^th of 34 District Of Columbia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts?

Students at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts are 98% African American, 2% Hispanic.

How many students attend Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts?

In the 2022-23 school year, 300 students attended Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts.

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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.