2023 Best School Districts in the Washington, D.C. Area

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: I must say, I have appreciated Washington Latin educating my child and preparing her for college and her future. We started in the fifth grade, and just as they promised, they have treated us like family. Washington Latin is a whole community. The experiences and opportunities my daughter has had there were beyond my wildest dreams. They have helped groom my daughter, and with that I am very confident in her future; wherever it takes her. Thank you Washington Latin!... Read 1 review

• grade A+

• Total schools 2

• Students 734

• Falls Church, VA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  12 reviews

Alum: I would say it was overall a good experience. I was in this school system from K-12. Elementry and Middle school provided good teaching staff, extracurriculars, and resources for women in STEM. The high school experience was illuminating, with classes becoming segregated by class and race. The system was very biast and pushed certain students above those who historically had not attended college.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 5

• Students 2,500

• Arlington, VA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.42 out of 5  116 reviews

Senior: I attended H-B Woodlawn, an alternative combined middle and high school. I have loved my time at H-B and treasure the connections, experiences, and memories made there. I have grown significantly in confidence, work ethic, and communication and I truly believe H-B is to thank for that. H-B has taught me to advocate for myself and to work for what I want.... Read 116 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 41

• Students 26,831

• Rockville, MD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.08 out of 5  593 reviews

Senior: The academics are great and so are the athletics. To start off the teachers are insanely nice and will do anything to help the student succeed if asked for help. I have received a lot of help before and after school with my teachers. Our football team is outstanding, especially with our new coaching staff we have been better than ever. The track team is also very awesome. We have made states consecutive years! The coach is just amazing and wants to see the athlete do better and get them to their full potential. The academics are great and so are the athletics. To start off the teachers are insanely nice and will do anything to help the student succeed if asked for help. I have received a lot of help before and after school with my teachers. Our football team is outstanding, especially with our new coaching staff we have been better than ever. The track team is also very awesome. We have made states consecutive years! The coach is just amazing and wants to see the athlete do better a... Read 593 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 209

• Students 160,564

• Ashburn, VA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  277 reviews

Sophomore: I have lived in Loudoun County for most of my life, and each day I love it more and more. The people here are very diverse and academically prestigious. I also enjoy how much people care about the environments wellbeing. Though, I think here in loudoun we can work on accepting different religions. For example, my friend prays 5 times a due to their religion being Muslim. They were in a certain class and the teacher wouldn't allow them to leave the class to pray because it was apparently "interfering with their academics." This is something very important for creating an accepting community, so working on being respectful of everyone is critical.... Read 277 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 96

• Students 81,066

• Falls Church, VA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  627 reviews

Alum: Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) are a great choice for families looking for a quality education. FCPS has a strong academic program and provides plenty of extra-curricular activities such as band, choir, robotics, and more. The school district also offers many advanced courses, such as AP and IB, for those students looking to further their education. Additionally, FCPS is dedicated to providing a safe learning environment for all students, with a comprehensive anti-bullying policy and well-trained staff. The district also offers excellent support services, such as counseling, special education, and mental health services. FCPS also pays special attention to students who need additional support, providing a number of helpful services. Finally, FCPS has a strong administration and support staff who are always available to help. With all these factors combined, FCPS is an excellent choice for any family looking for a quality education.... Read 627 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 222

• Students 180,028

• Manassas, VA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  367 reviews

Senior: I've lived in Prince William County my whole life. I've seen people come and I've seen people go. I'm in my senior year now in high school and there's one thing I can tell you about Prince William County Schools is that they're simply just amazing. The teachers and staff no matter what grade will go the extra mile to assist any student in need. The academics are unique as they offer a wide variety of topics to learn from depending on what grade the student is in. Prince William County Public Schools also offer sports when the student reaches middle school. Each sport is super competitive as Prince William County Schools are a 6A division, which is the highest division In the state of Virginia. Once the student reaches high school they can have the chance of playing in college if they do so. Anywhere you go in Prince William you'll see a number of diverse groups, the same goes for their schools. Every student has a place where they can fit in and blossom!... Read 367 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 95

• Students 89,548

• La Plata, MD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.81 out of 5  112 reviews

Parent: Hello, I am speaking as a parent of an alum and a current student at NPHS. I have also worked as a substitute teacher in several different CCBOE schools. Overall Chuck County Schools have been great for my kids, and has more than met their needs. Like anyplace, it has areas where it could improve (lousy food has been mentioned), however , the school system really tries to do the best it can for its students and does the job well with the resources it has. Parents need to be more involved with their kids education to get the most out of what CCBOE schools have to offer and the resulting success can be as high as the sky. I will say that regarding the CTE program, the way in which slots are granted should be more competitive and more weight should be on academic achievement and teacher recommendations as it was originally done. I believe the program’s competitiveness has been watered down over the years beginning in school year 2019-2020.... Read 112 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 39

• Students 26,768

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade B

• Total schools 3

• Students 1,018

• Manassas Park, VA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  29 reviews

Alum: One of, if not the best high schools in Northern Virgina. As a former student I can confidently say that Manassas Park City Schools are excellent! The teachers are great, classes are always challenging, but can be fun, and a variety of clubs and sports. Going to this High School was awesome!... Read 29 reviews

• grade B

• Total schools 4

• Students 3,500

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  70 reviews

Senior: My overall experience with DCPS has been very up and down. For Instance, Bard DC was supposed to be a place of college-readiness but instead I was brought to a very unorganized and underdeveloped place. It has gotten better but I do think that better professionals need to step in and guide Bard into the right direction as a whole. However, the upside to DCPS in general is that it's diverse and the teachers are willing to teach young minds regardless of any circumstances. I actually see some staff actually trying to push through and work with students in all the chaos.... Read 70 reviews

• grade B minus

• Total schools 115

• Students 49,896

• Alexandria, VA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  82 reviews

Sophomore: The 2020 goal was ¨Equity for all¨ which the district did well in. There were food, technology, health(both mental & physical) resources offered to ALL students and the families of students. The ACPS 2025 goal is ¨Empowering all students to thrive in a diverse and ever-changing world¨They set this goal this year, with all the progressive movements coming to light. I feel the district (being made up of extremely diverse populations whether it is ethnically, racially, socio-economically, religiously, etc.) I feel that the district will be able to reach this goal of empowering all students. I already see ways that they are doing so. They have given students a chance to rename schools that were named after pro-segregationists, given less represented students more college readiness resources, and take advice from STUDENTS, not only parents on what steps need to be taken to better our school system. I rate a 4/5, because like everything in the world, we arent perfect.... Read 82 reviews

• grade B minus

• Total schools 19

• Students 15,775

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  12 reviews

Senior: I love this school!! I was at a school where the teacher and staff did not care and would not assist or offer guidance. My mom decided to take me out the end of the 10th-grade year to send me to a school that will help me become college-ready. The teachers and staff are really caring and helpful and do their best to be sure you get all the help needed to continue to the next level. They offer a college readiness class that guide you through the SAT exam with practice test and daily assistance and tutoring for the test. They also closed the school for rising seniors to take the exam free from distraction and free of charge. This school is amazing in comparison to the school I was previously with. You will not be disappointed. We also love the diversity in this school. Another thing we love the most about this school is that parents are forced to be involved in your child's education. The email, text, and calls may be overwhelming at times but they want to make sure you are notified.... Read 12 reviews

• grade B minus

• Total schools 2

• Students 726

• Manassas, VA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  25 reviews

Parent: My children have received an excellent education and are/have been well-prepared for work/college. Additionally, they explored a variety of interests through extra-curricular activities and opportunities. Friendships and memories of a lifetime!... Read 25 reviews

• grade C

• Total schools 11

• Students 7,399

• Upper Marlboro, MD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.57 out of 5  596 reviews

Senior: My experience was very good. I learned many things from attending school here, I felt safe for the most part in the environment I was in. I gained many close connections which has helped me to grow as a person and has helped in bettering me.... Read 596 reviews

• grade C

• Total schools 209

• Students 131,646

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• grade A

• Total schools 2

• Students 585

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• •
  Rating 1 out of 5  1 review

• grade B+

• Total schools 2

• Students 955

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• grade B

• Total schools 6

• Students 1,452

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• grade C+

• Total schools 3

• Students 1,525

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Senior: What I like about kipp is that it’s a educational school but we have fun while learning. They are connected to the kids very well and they work hard to prove themselves as a school.when it comes to the sports everyone loves the sports and it’s very open. The food on the other hand isn’t good. Overall it is a great school to go too.... Read 3 reviews

• grade unavailable

• Total schools 18

• Students 7,000

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.6 out of 5  5 reviews

Alum: Friendship Tech Prep Academy is a very inspiring and uplifting school to be apart of and experience. Being a now Class of 2020 alumni, I reflect on my time at Tech Prep and all the lessons on life and school I've learned. There's a big support system and teachers who always have your best interest at heart. Tech Prep is more than a school, it's a safe environment that prepares you for the outside world after high school.... Read 5 reviews

• grade unavailable

• Total schools 15

• Students 4,565

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• grade unavailable

• Total schools 6

• Students 2,168

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Senior: I enjoy coming to school at E.L Haynes. It is a very diverse environment and it is very welcoming. E.L Haynes has many opportunities and the administrators are known to help students when they need help. In addition, E.L Haynes is a comforting and safe environment.... Read 2 reviews

• grade unavailable

• Total schools 3

• Students 1,199

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• grade unavailable

• Total schools 3

• Students 985

• Washington, DC•

• School District

• grade unavailable

• Total schools 2

• Students 706