Filled with echoes of music and art inspiration, Duke Ellington School of the Arts continues the legacy of the renowned jazz it is named after. Enrolling students through talent-based interviews and auditions, this acclaimed magnet school combines a college-preparatory curriculum with pre-professional arts training for ninth through 12th-grade students. Established in 1974, Ellington operates in partnership with D.C. Public Schools, the Kennedy Center and George Washington University.
Once enrolled, pupils can participate in one of eight majors. As an arts-based school, the majors include dance, instrumental music, literary media and communications, museum studies, technical design and production, theatre, visual arts or vocal music. The school receives over 1,000 requests each year for student performers. Students often take the stage at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and the White House.
Ellington isn’t solely known for arts education. It also offers a rigorous academic curriculum, with students taking honors courses and Advanced Placement classes. In 2020, the school was rated as one of the top schools in the nation and the third best in the district. Upon graduation, as many students go on to lauded institutions, all leave forever united by the shared sense of community and artistic passion that define an Ellington education.
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Public High School
|
Grade 9-12
3500 R St NW,
Washington, DC
District Of Columbia Public Schools
School Details
Head of School
Rory Pullens
Student Teacher Ratio
48:1
Average SAT Score
1090
Average ACT Score
24
Math Proficiency
8%
Reading Proficiency
61%
Average GPA
3.46
Graduation Rate
95%
Niche Grade
B
B-
B
C
B-
C-
C+
Source: Niche
Niche Grade Details
Academics
Average GPA
3.46
Reading Proficiency
61%
Math Proficiency
8%
Teachers
Student Teacher Ratio
48:1
Teachers
12
Full Time Teachers
12
Teachers in First or Second Year
0%
College Prep
Average SAT
1090
Math
520
Verbal
570
Average ACT
24
Math
22
English
25
Reading
26
Science
23
Number of AP Courses
13
AP Pass Rate
24%
AP Math Enrollment
Average
AP Science Enrollment
Low
Other AP Enrollment
Very High
Clubs and Activities
Girls Athletic Participation
Very Low
Boys Athletic Participation
Very Low
GreatSchools Rating
Source: GreatSchools
GreatSchools Rating Details
Test Scores
Math
14.6%
State Average
22.6%
English
60.2%
State Average
32.9%
Teachers and Staff
Students Per Counselor
296:1
Student Diversity
Female
69.3%
Male
29.1%
Black
65.6%
White
14.7%
Hispanic
11.9%
Two or more races
4.8%
Asian or Pacific Islander
1.4%
School Rankings
#1
Best HS for the Arts in District of Columbia
#5
Best Magnet HS in District of Columbia
Specialty School Programs
AP Programs Offered
Free/Reduced Lunch Offered
Colleges Students are Considering
Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
Howard University
237 Students
New York University
224 Students
Temple University
207 Students
Clark Atlanta University
164 Students
Morgan State University
157 Students
North Carolina A&T State University
145 Students
University of Maryland - College Park
126 Students
Spelman College
108 Students
George Washington University
104 Students
North Carolina Central University
101 Students
What Students Want to Study
Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Business
94 Students
Music Performance
93 Students
Dance
92 Students
Psychology
85 Students
Drama and Theatre Production
82 Students
Film and Video Studies
81 Students
Acting
70 Students
Fine Arts
53 Students
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
47 Students
Biology
46 Students
This School’s Reviews
Niche Reviews
5/18/2025
Duke Ellington School of the Arts is an amazing place to better yourself as a young artist. It provides students with a strong foundation in their selected field. While I love attending Duke Ellington School of the Arts and learning about classical music in the vocal music department, I wish that there were a bit more freedom to explore my niches, specifically in the vocal music department.
5/6/2025
Pros: - Amazing arts teachers and engaging arts classes: orchestra, string ensemble, etc. - Very good environment - AMAZING campus / schoolbuilding - Robust social studies, mathematics, and foreign language departments - Only DCPS public school to offer AP for freshmen (Human Geography), and offers many other APs for higher grade levels, including AP Lang, Lit, Calc AB + BC, Precal, Bio, ES, World Hist., Music Theory, US History, Gov, Stats, Spanish, Psych, + more. - Offers dual enrollment at virtually any nearby university, including GW, Georgetown, Marymount, VSU, Howard, Marymount, AU, and more, starting from 9th grade summer. Accepts credit for courses taken w/ DE and weights them as AP. Cons: - Lunch only 1 hour- less on advisory schedule - 9th grade science class unenjoyable - Practice rooms (for vocalists & instrumentalists) often locked during lunch - Administration & some counselors unclear when communicating and overall unsatisfactory - Security intrusive and annoying
12/31/2024
The best part of being at Duke Ellington School of the Arts is the connections and networking opportunity. There is oppourtunity for everybody to work in whatever their choice art is. I want to see the passion of the students and teachers increase. I know that community is a key for creation so I want to see the community rebuild to create more together.
GreatSchools Reviews
1/25/2024
We have called and called this school over several years to ask about a school tour to see application for our teen children ( 2 kids). However, they tell us they're not doing tours, or no answers when we reach our, nor even sending email or newsletter with info. We have received no communication ab...
1/6/2016
If you want your kid to have a good grasp on sciety and what is going on the world now, SEND THEM TO THIS SCHOOL. Duke Ellington's teachers are not only dedicated in making sure their kids get the best education DCPS has to offer but also teaching them to be independent thinkers. This school breeds...
9/2/2013
Kudos to Ellington! As a parent of two graduates I'm so excited about the latest news: DESA had a 99% senior on-time graduation rate, Those seniors earned over $5 million in scholarships(!), Ellington achieved the highest proficiency level in the DC CAS standardized testing, Reward level - the only...
8/29/2013
The audition process is unorganized and all about who you know at at this school. It's sad because the children with the skills to continue studying are overlooked for the children that live out of state, know someone behind the scenes or look a certain way.
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Map
List Price Range
$424K - $10.3M
Homes For Sale
71
Average Home Value
$1,794,110
Median Lot Size
2,613 Sq Ft
% Renters
45%
Average Household Income
$193,652
% of College Grads
88.4%
Median Age
37
Average House Size
2,920 Sq Ft
% Commercial Property
69.4%
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Additional Schools in the Area
Public Schools shown may be Choice Schools
Choice Schools
Choice schools may not serve this home. Please check the school district website to see all schools serving this home.
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- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 9th to 12th
- Public
Parks in this Area
Book Hill Park
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Georgetown Waterfront Park
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Dumbarton Oaks Park
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Francis Scott Key Park
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Rose Park
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Montrose Park
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Volta Park Recreation Center
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Capital Crescent Trail
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- River
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Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a public school for students in grades 9-12 in Washington, DC and is served by the District Of Columbia Public Schools in District of Columbia. The school has a total enrollment of 579 and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 48:1. Academic records show that 8% of students achieve proficiency in math, and 61% are proficient in reading. Duke Ellington School of the Arts has received feedback and ratings, with a Niche grade of B and a GreatSchools Rating of 6 out of 10. The average GPA is 3.46, the graduation rate is 95%, and average standardized test scores include an SAT score of 1090 and an ACT score of 24. The average home value in this area is $1,794,110. Discover additional schools in the area, like MacArthur High School, School Without Walls High School, Washington Liberty High School, and more. Learn more about what Washington has to offer, and browse homes for sale and for rent near Duke Ellington School of the Arts.