82 middle school schools serving grades 6 through 8 (ages 11–14).
Browse all 82 schools that offer middle school grades (6–8) in Washington DC — including DCPS public schools, public charter schools, and private/parochial options. Filter by sector, ward, or apply via the My School DC lottery.
DC middle schools cover grades 6–8 (ages 11–14). DCPS has dedicated middle schools and education campuses (which combine elementary + middle). Public charter schools may operate stand-alone middle schools or PK–8 campuses. Application is via the My School DC lottery for any non-in-boundary placement.
For 6th grade entry, apply during the My School DC lottery, which opens each November and closes in late January. Application is on a single rank-up-to-12-schools form at myschooldc.org. Decisions release in March.
A traditional middle school serves only grades 6–8 (e.g. Deal MS, Hardy MS). An education campus combines multiple grade-bands — for example, Columbia Heights Education Campus serves PK–12, while Browne EC and Cardozo EC serve middle + high together. Both apply via the same My School DC lottery.
Yes. Each DCPS elementary school has a designated feeder pattern to a specific middle school, giving in-boundary students priority. Common feeder patterns lead to schools like Deal, Hardy, Stuart-Hobson, Eliot-Hine, Sousa, Kelly Miller, and others. Charter middle schools have no feeder patterns — admission is by lottery for everyone.
Highly-applied DCPS middle schools include Alice Deal Middle School (Ward 3), Hardy Middle School (Ward 2), and Stuart-Hobson Middle School (Ward 6). Popular charter middle schools include BASIS DC, Washington Latin, and Two Rivers PCS. Application demand changes year over year.
A few DCPS middle schools have selective tracks (e.g., Hardy MS Magnet program). Most charter middle schools and private middle schools have their own admissions processes. The My School DC lottery is non-selective for general admission to public/charter middle schools.