Compare All 330 Schools in Washington DC

Washington DC has three types of publicly funded schools serving families across all 8 wards. DC Public Schools (DCPS) operates 116 traditional neighborhood schools tied to home address boundaries — students are guaranteed a seat at their in-boundary school. Washington's 123 public charter schools are independently governed but publicly funded, open to all DC residents regardless of address through the DC school lottery. Private and parochial schools — including Catholic, Episcopal, Montessori, and independent schools — serve another 51 institutions across the District.

Finding the right school in DC means understanding grade bands, school types, and lottery rules before the application window opens. The DC school lottery — the unified application for DCPS and most charter schools — opens each November and closes in late January. Families rank up to 12 schools on a single application. Decisions release in March. In-boundary DCPS seats are guaranteed regardless of lottery results.

DCSchools.com lists all 330+ schools in Washington DC with OSSE star ratings, ward locations, grade ranges, and contact information. Search by neighborhood, filter by school type, or browse by ward. Whether you're looking for a bilingual immersion program in Ward 1, an IB school in Ward 3, or a K–12 private school near Capitol Hill, every DC school option is here in one place — updated for the 2026–27 school year.