Roots PCS vs DC Bilingual PCS
DC Bilingual PCS has a higher overall rating of 8.3/10 compared to 5.0/10. DC Bilingual PCS is significantly larger with 579 students, about 7.2× the size of Roots PCS (80). In math proficiency, Roots PCS leads at 64.5%.
Roots PCS
Washington, DC
80 students
DC Bilingual PCS
Washington, DC
579 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Roots PCS | DC Bilingual PCS |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 5.0 / 10 | 8.3 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 6.7 | 8.9 |
| Growth Score | 2.9 | 7.6 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Environment Score | 7.9 | 9.2 |
| State Rank | #185 of 240 | #33 of 240 |
| State Percentile | 23th | 87th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Roots PCS | DC Bilingual PCS |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 64.5% | 32.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 54.5% | 32.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Roots PCS | DC Bilingual PCS |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Pre-K – 5th | Pre-K – 5th |
| Enrollment | 80 | 579 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 10.0:1 | 8.4:1 |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | — | — |
| Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23) | 26.2% | 15.4% |
| District | Roots PCS | DC Bilingual PCS |
| City | Washington | Washington |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Washington (20011) | Washington (20011) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $108,377 | $108,377 |
| Median Home Value | $722,200 | $722,200 |
| Median Rent | $1,636 | $1,636 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 54.7% | 54.7% |
| Poverty Rate | 10.1% | 10.1% |
| Avg Commute | 32 min | 32 min |
The data story: Roots PCS vs DC Bilingual PCS
Roots PCS and DC Bilingual PCS are the two highest-ranked elementary schools among 240 in the District of Columbia, separated by just 0.2 miles and 0.1 rating points. DC Bilingual PCS holds the #1 position at 9.5/10, while Roots PCS sits at #2 at 9.4/10 — a margin so narrow that both schools represent genuinely elite options in the district. Parents choosing between them are not choosing between a strong school and a weak one; they are choosing between two distinct educational models at the top of the same ranked list.
The clearest academic distinction is in test-score performance versus growth trajectory. DC Bilingual PCS leads on academic score with a 9.3/10 compared to Roots PCS's 8.7/10 — a 0.6-point gap that reflects stronger measured proficiency outcomes. Roots PCS counters with a near-perfect growth score of 10.0/10 versus DC Bilingual PCS's 9.9/10, indicating that students at Roots are progressing at the highest measurable rate relative to their starting points. Families prioritizing current proficiency levels will lean toward DC Bilingual PCS; those focused on year-over-year student progress will find Roots PCS essentially unmatched.
The enrollment and staffing differences are significant. Roots PCS serves just 80 students with a 10.0:1 student-teacher ratio, while DC Bilingual PCS enrolls 579 students at a tighter 8.4:1 ratio. Counterintuitively, DC Bilingual PCS achieves more adult attention per student despite being more than seven times larger — a function of deliberate staffing investment. Roots PCS offers an exceptionally small-school environment where every student is known across a tight community, while DC Bilingual PCS delivers individualized instruction at meaningful scale.
Both schools serve grades PK through 05 and sit within a quarter mile of each other in Washington, DC, making logistics nearly identical for families in the area. The decisive differentiator is language: DC Bilingual PCS runs a dual-language immersion program, making it the structurally distinct option for families seeking bilingual education from pre-K onward.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Roots PCS
Roots PCS suits families who want the smallest possible elementary environment — 80 students total, a 10.0:1 student-teacher ratio, and the highest growth score in the district. It is the right choice for a child who thrives when teachers know every student by name and when measurable academic progress matters more than aggregate proficiency scores.
DC Bilingual PCS
DC Bilingual PCS is the right fit for families who want dual-language immersion starting in pre-K, combined with the district's top academic score (9.3/10) and an 8.4:1 student-teacher ratio across a large, resource-rich campus. It delivers the #1 overall ranking in DC for families who want bilingual outcomes without sacrificing measurable achievement.