Schools in Takoma

Takoma is a charming neighborhood in Ward 4's northern tip, bordering Maryland and sharing both a name and a walkable village character with Takoma Park, MD. Six schools serve the Takoma community — four DCPS and two charter — making it one of Ward 4's well-served neighborhoods for families at the elementary and secondary levels. The neighborhood's DCPS schools are strong performers in the Ward 4 context, with Takoma Education Campus offering a pre-K through 8th grade experience in a single building that facilitates continuity for families who want to minimize school transitions. The charter options in Takoma add specialized programming in STEM and arts integration. The Takoma Metro station (Red line) sits at the heart of the neighborhood's commercial core on Carroll Street, making Takoma one of DC's most transit-accessible residential neighborhoods. The village-like strip of local businesses, the community garden at the old Takoma Library site, and the Piney Branch stream valley trail give Takoma a distinct character that families find particularly appealing. Ward 4 families benefit from a priority point when applying to Ward 4 schools through the DC lottery, and Takoma's proximity to Silver Spring MD gives families unique cross-boundary school awareness that can inform lottery strategy.