Schools in Douglass

Douglass is a Ward 8 neighborhood near the St. Elizabeths East campus, named in honor of Frederick Douglass, one of DC's most celebrated historic residents. Two schools — one DCPS and one charter — serve the Douglass community, with the larger Ward 8 school network accessible via MLK Avenue SE and the Congress Heights Metro area. The St. Elizabeths East campus redevelopment, which includes the Entertainment and Sports Arena and new commercial and residential development, is transforming the area immediately adjacent to Douglass. This neighborhood renewal is expected to bring new educational and community programming resources to one of Ward 8's most historically significant communities. Metrobus routes along Congress Heights and MLK Avenue SE connect Douglass families to the Congress Heights Metro station (Green line) and to broader Ward 8 school options. The neighborhood's proximity to the Anacostia River trail network also provides outdoor recreation access for school-age children. Ward 8 families receive equity provisions in the DC lottery designed to ensure meaningful access to high-quality schools citywide. Douglass families applying to schools outside Ward 8 should note these provisions when building their November lottery application lists.