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GreatSchools Rating

Benjamin Banneker High School

Public | 9-12 | 413 students
“We are best known for 100% college acceptance rate.”
 
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  • Banneker is a very good school . They teach you a lot and make sure you learn...

  • I'm a sophomore and it is a great school. It opens up many opportunities for...

  • This is avery good school for kids who are trying to get in good high school.

  • I am an alum and can attest to the education and experience. My son entered...

  • I am currently a freshman at Banneker High School and it is truly a great...

 

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Last modified
Community Rating

5 stars

Based on 14 ratings
Community Rating by Year
2013:
Based on 1 rating
2012:
No new ratings
2011:
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2010:
Based on 2 ratings

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8 reviews of this school

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Posted May 25, 2013
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Banneker is a very good school . They teach you a lot and make sure you learn everything you need to know in preparation for college .
—Submitted by a student

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Posted April 6, 2010
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I'm a sophomore and it is a great school. It opens up many opportunities for us and the program is challenging. Overall it is a good school to attend.
—Submitted by a student

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Posted March 17, 2010
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This is avery good school for kids who are trying to get in good high school. This shows you have to do a lot to get in this school
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted March 14, 2010
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I am an alum and can attest to the education and experience. My son entered 9th grade a little intimidated but has surpassed both of our expextations making Principal's Commendation all quarters, most recently 3.83. The grading scale is higher but that has made him more driven to get a 4.0. He really wanted to play football which Banneker does not offer so next year he will be eligible to play at McKinley or Wilson now that he has proven he can a Banneker Achiever. The best thing I did for my son academically was to encourage him to attend. He is not distracted and keeps his eye on the prize, attending COLLEGE!
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted March 11, 2009
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I am currently a freshman at Banneker High School and it is truly a great learning environment like no other.
—Submitted by a student

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Posted October 1, 2007
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My daughter is a freshmen this year. So far we both love it.
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted April 5, 2007
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Historically, the teaching has been excellent and the students, of diverse backgrounds, get the most from them. The Principals have been less than stellar. In fact, they have been weak. It is almost as if the central adminsitration is trying to hold the school back by placing poor leadership at the top, mostly administration syncophants. The counselors, teachers and students make the school. With excellent leadership,the school would be amazing.
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted August 1, 2006
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The quality of academics is very high, although they seem to lack the backbone of being overall. BY that I mean that yes indeed they do have academics, but high school isnt all about academics. There arent to many sports and the parent involvement is declining. Music has just com back into the school, and Art has always been strong. The extracurricular acts include numerous clubs and mandatory community service, which is counted as a grade.
—Submitted by a student

Write your own review

Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.

Grade level

Math

The state average for Math was 44% in 2012.

126 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
97%

2011

 
 
98%

2010

 
 
100%

2009

 
 
98%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 44% in 2012.

127 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
87%

2011

 
 
94%

2010

 
 
96%

2009

 
 
97%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Washington, D.C. used the District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessment System (DC-CAS) to test students in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and science in grades 5, 8, and High School. The DC-CAS is a standards-based testing program, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the District of Columbia. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

See Washington DC's state standards

Source: Office of the State Superintendent of Education

GreatSchools Rating

What makes up this rating?

Academic rating
10 / 10
Climate rating
Coming 2013

This GreatSchools Rating is based on academics, including students' test scores, academic growth and college readiness. Soon, the rating will also measure school climate, which includes safety, cleanliness, parent involvement and more.

Learn more about our methodology

What is the new GreatSchools Rating?

Rating legend
Below
average
Average
Above
average

Our rating (from 1 to 10) reflects a school's overall performance. The higher the rating, the more likely the school will prepare your child for the future, so choose an above-average school (8-10) if possible. For average schools (4-7), do careful research and look for evidence that the school has high-quality programs. For below-average schools (1-3), take caution; a low-performing school may not provide the instruction or environment your child needs to learn, and you may need to supplement classroom lessons at home.

Academic rating

The academic rating is made up of equally-weighted parts: students' test scores, their academic growth and their readiness for college (for high schools). If a school is designated low performing (Tier 3) by the DC Public Charter School Board, the school receives a "Below average" GreatSchools Rating. The graphs below compare this school's results to other schools in the city.
Overall academic rating

10

Above average
Test score rating 2012*
This school
City
1
2
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9
10
Learn more about this school's test scores »
Student growth rating 2012**
This school
City
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
College readiness rating 2012***
This school
City
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
This school
Percent of 12th graders taking SAT or ACT: 100%
Percent of test takers who are "college ready": 62%

*Test scores are based on 2012 DC-CAS results from the District of Columbia.

**The academic growth rating measures how schools affect student test score improvement over time in reading and math. The data is for the 2012 school year and is provided by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

***This rating is based on the percent of 12th graders in 2012 that took the SAT or ACT, and the percent of those test-takers that reached a "college ready" benchmark as determined by SAT or ACT. Data is provided by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

Climate ratings

Starting in fall 2013, we plan to release a climate rating as part of this school's overall GreatSchools Rating. The climate rating will be based on survey data about various aspects of this school's climate, such as safety, cleanliness, expectations for students, parent involvement, and more.

Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
Black 86% 78%
Hispanic 11% 13%
Asian 2% 1%
Two or more races 1% 1%
American Indian/Alaska Native 0% 0%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander 0% 0%
White 0% 7%
Source: NCES, 2010-2011

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Special education 10%N/A13%
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 249%N/A73%
English learners 10%N/A7%
Source: 1 Office of the State Superintendent of Education, 2011-2012
Source: 2 NCES, 2010-2011

Attendance

  This school District averageState average
All Students 99%N/AN/A
Asian/Pacific Islander 99%N/AN/A
Black, not Hispanic 99%N/AN/A
Hispanic 99%N/AN/A
White, not Hispanic 99%N/AN/A
Economically disadvantaged 99%N/AN/A
Limited English proficient 100%N/AN/A
Source: DCPS, 2009-2010

Graduation rate

  This school District averageState average
All Students 96%N/A75%
Female 97%N/A77%
Male 90%N/A71%
Asian/Pacific Islander 100%N/A79%
Black, not Hispanic 95%N/A77%
Hispanic 100%N/A62%
Economically disadvantaged 100%N/A96%
Not economically disadvantaged 92%N/A58%
General-Education students 96%N/A73%
Source: DCPS, 2009-2010

College readiness and student pathways

Students typically attend these schools prior to attending this school Howard University PCS
Stuart Hobson MS
Deal MS
Percentage of students going to 4-year college 100% (2012)
Colleges most students attend after graduation George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth University
St. John's University
Read more about resources at this school
Source: Manually entered by a school official.

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 11N/A14
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Teacher resources

Special staff resources available to students Assistant principal(s)
Art teacher(s)
College counselor(s)
Computer specialist(s)
Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
Librarian/media specialist(s)
Math specialist(s)
Music teacher(s)
PE instructor(s)
Nurse(s)
Poetry/Creative writing teacher(s)
Reading specialist(s)
Robotics/Technology specialist(s)
School psychologist
Tutor(s)
Foreign languages spoken by school staff Arabic languages
French
Spanish
Vietnamese
Read more about programs at this school
Source: Manually entered by a school official.

Awards

Academic awards received in the past 3 years
  • Blue Ribbon Award (2007)
  • TEAM Award 2009-2010 (2009)
  • News Weeks 500 Best High Schools in America (2011)

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)

Staff resources available to students
  • Computer specialist(s)
  • Math specialist(s)
  • Robotics/Technology specialist(s)
School facilities
  • Computer lab
  • Science lab
Clubs
  • Math club
  • Recycling club
  • Robotics club
  • Science club

Arts & music

Staff resources available to students
  • Art teacher(s)
  • Music teacher(s)
  • Poetry/Creative writing teacher(s)
School facilities
  • Art room
  • Music room
  • Performance stage
Music
  • Choir / Chorus
  • Orchestra
Performing and written arts
  • Dance
  • Drama
Clubs
  • Art club
  • Dance club
  • Drama club
  • Literary magazine
  • Student newspaper
  • Yearbook

Language learning

Foreign languages taught
  • French
  • Latin
  • Spanish
Level of ESL/ELL programming offered
  • Moderate - the school consistently offers a full program for particular ESL/ELL needs
Languages supported by ESL/ELL programs
  • Amharic
  • Spanish
Foreign languages spoken by staff
  • Arabic languages
  • French
  • Spanish
  • Vietnamese
Clubs
  • Foreign language and culture club

Health & athletics

Staff resources available to students
  • Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
  • Nurse(s)
  • PE instructor(s)
  • School psychologist
School facilities
  • Access to sports fields
  • Gym
  • Kitchen

Gifted & talented

Instructional and/or curriculum models used
  • Accelerated credit learning
  • Advanced placement courses
  • Honors track
  • International Baccalaureate (IB)
College preparation / awareness resources offered
  • College prep programs/courses during the year
  • College presentations or information sessions
  • SAT/ACT prep classes
  • School-sponsored trips to college campuses
  • Summer college prep programs
  • Visiting teachers or lecturers from colleges
Clubs
  • Debate
  • It's Academic
  • National Honor Society
School leaders can update this information here.

School basics

School start time
  • 8:45 am
School end time
  • 3:15 pm
Before school or after school care / program onsite
  • After school: ends at 5:30 p.m.
School Leader's name
  • Anita M. Berger
Best ways for parents to contact the school
  • Phone
Gender
  • Coed
Special schedule
  • Extended/longer school day
Is there an application process?
  • Yes
Fax number
  • (202) 673-2231

Programs

Instructional and/or curriculum models used

Don't understand these terms?
  • Accelerated credit learning
  • Advanced placement courses
  • College prep
  • Honors track
  • International Baccalaureate (IB)
Bi-lingual or language immersion programs offered

Don't understand these terms?
  • No
Foreign languages taught
  • French
  • Latin
  • Spanish
Level of ESL/ELL programming offered
  • Moderate - the school consistently offers a full program for particular ESL/ELL needs
Languages supported by ESL/ELL programs
  • Amharic
  • Spanish

Resources

Staff resources available to students
  • Art teacher(s)
  • Assistant principal(s)
  • College counselor(s)
  • Computer specialist(s)
  • Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
  • Librarian/media specialist(s)
  • Math specialist(s)
  • Music teacher(s)
  • Nurse(s)
  • PE instructor(s)
  • Poetry/Creative writing teacher(s)
  • Reading specialist(s)
  • Robotics/Technology specialist(s)
  • School psychologist
  • Tutor(s)
Foreign languages spoken by staff
  • Arabic languages
  • French
  • Spanish
  • Vietnamese
Extra learning resources offered
  • Career/college counseling
  • Title I Schoolwide program (SWP)
College preparation / awareness resources offered
  • College prep programs/courses during the year
  • College presentations or information sessions
  • SAT/ACT prep classes
  • School-sponsored trips to college campuses
  • Summer college prep programs
  • Visiting teachers or lecturers from colleges
Transportation provided for students by the school / district
  • 64 (Fort Totten-Petworth Line), 70, 71 (Georgia Avenue-7th Street Line), 79 (Georgia Ave Metro Extra Line), H2 (Crosstown Line)
School facilities
  • Access to sports fields
  • Art room
  • Auditorium
  • Cafeteria
  • College/career center
  • Computer lab
  • Gym
  • Internet access
  • Kitchen
  • Library
  • Music room
  • Parent center
  • Performance stage
  • Science lab
Partnerships with local resources and organizations
School leaders can update this information here.

Sports

Boys sports
  • Basketball
  • Cross country
  • Golf
  • Men of Strength Club
  • Soccer
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track
Girls sports
  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Cross country
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track
  • Volleyball

Arts & music

Music
  • Choir / Chorus
  • Orchestra
Performing arts
  • Dance
  • Drama

Student clubs

Clubs (distinct from courses)
  • Art club
  • Book/reading club
  • Chess club
  • Dance club
  • Debate
  • Drama club
  • Foreign language and culture club
  • It's Academic
  • Literary magazine
  • Math club
  • Mock trial competition club
  • Model UN
  • National Honor Society
  • Recycling club
  • Robotics club
  • Science club
  • Student council/government
  • Student newspaper
  • Yearbook
School leaders can update this information here.

Photos

  • Photos of this school

Videos

Watch Now

See a video featuring this school.

 

Tips for understanding school culture

School culture

Dress Code
  • Dress code
Bullying policy
  • This school has a bullying and/or cyber bullying policy in place.
Parent involvement
  • Attend parent nights
  • Chaperone school trips
  • Coach sports teams or extracurricular activities
  • Join PTO/PTA
  • Organize fundraising events (school auction, bake sales, etc.)
  • Serve on school improvement team or governance council
  • Volunteer in the classroom
School colors
  • red, white, blue
School mascot
  • Bulldog
More from this school
  • The school has 100% 4 yr.college/university acceptance rate.
School leaders can update this information here.

Apply

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Washington, D.C.

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What are your chances?

3 out of 10students were accepted for the 2012-2013 school year.

Students accepted for the 2012-2013 school year
200
Applications received for the 2012-2013 school year
600
Students typically come from these schools
Howard University PCS
Stuart Hobson MS
Deal MS

Planning ahead

Students typically attend these schools after graduating
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth University
St. John's University
College preparation / awareness offered
College prep programs/courses during the year
College presentations or information sessions
SAT/ACT prep classes
Summer college prep programs
School-sponsored trips to college campuses
Visiting teachers or lecturers from colleges
Students' post-graduation plans in 2012
4 year college - 100%
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!
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800 Euclid St. NW
Washington, DC 20001
Website: Click here
Phone: (202) 671-6320

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