AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Douglas Knoll

At a Glance

AppleTree Early Learning PCS – Douglas Knoll is a tuition-free public charter preschool in Washington DC's Ward 8, located at 2017 Savannah Terrace SE in the Douglass neighborhood. The campus serves PK3 and PK4 students exclusively, making it a dedicated early childhood site rather than a school with mixed elementary grades.

As part of the AppleTree Schools network, Douglas Knoll is designed specifically around the developmental needs of three- and four-year-olds. Families east of the Anacostia River who are looking for an early start in formal education before kindergarten are the primary audience for this campus.

What Parents Should Know

There are a few practical points DC parents typically ask about when considering this school:

• Tuition-free public option. As a DC public charter school, there is no tuition. Families do not need to live in a particular boundary to apply — charter schools are open to all DC residents.
• PK3 and PK4 only. Because the campus stops at PK4, families will need to plan a transition to a separate elementary school for kindergarten. Some families use the My School DC lottery again the year their child ages out; others coordinate with a sibling preference or feeder pattern depending on the receiving school.
• Ward 8 location. The campus sits in the Douglass neighborhood of Southeast DC, near Savannah Terrace SE. Parents should check Metrobus routes and driving access from their home before applying, since early childhood drop-off windows tend to be tight.
• Ages served. Children must meet DC's age cutoffs for PK3 or PK4 by the start of the school year. AppleTree's model assumes this is many children's first structured school experience, so the program is built with that in mind.

Programs and Approach

Enrollment at AppleTree Early Learning PCS – Douglas Knoll runs through the My School DC common lottery (myschooldc.org). Families submit one application that can include multiple DC public and public charter schools ranked in order of preference. The lottery typically opens in the winter for the following school year, with results released in the spring. There is no test or interview for admission; placement is determined by lottery number and any applicable preferences, such as for siblings of currently enrolled students.

According to the school, AppleTree campuses use Every Child Ready, the network's research-based instructional program built specifically for PK3 and PK4. The approach blends academics, social-emotional development, and play-based learning in a structured but nurturing setting, with the goal of preparing children for a strong kindergarten start. Teachers across the AppleTree network focus on language, early literacy, and engagement, treating preschool as a first formal school experience rather than daycare.

Because AppleTree operates 13 locations across the District, families who move within DC during the preschool years can sometimes transfer to another AppleTree campus, though space depends on availability.

Visiting and Contact

AppleTree Early Learning PCS – Douglas Knoll is located at 2017 Savannah Terrace SE, Washington, DC, in the Douglass neighborhood of Ward 8. The main phone number is 771-210-2142.

For tour dates, open house schedules, current staff information, and the most up-to-date enrollment details, visit the school's official page at appletreeinstitute.org/douglas-knoll.