Logan Circle/Shaw · Grades 9–12
What the data shows
Benjamin Banneker High School · 5-star OSSE rating · Open enrollment · 6 photos. Student body: 69% blackafrican-american, 17% hispanic.
Source: OSSE School Report Card — official rating from DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education.
Benjamin Banneker Academic High School (BBAHS) is a selective DCPS magnet high school at 1600 9th Street NW in Logan Circle / Shaw, Ward 2. Banneker is one of the District's flagship application-based public high schools — applicants must qualify on grades, test scores, and recommendations to be admitted. Enrollment is around 700 students in grades 9–12.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Banneker #178 in the National Rankings of US high schools and consistently places it near the top of the DC field on graduation rate, AP/IB performance, and college matriculation. Among DC magnets, Banneker sits alongside School Without Walls and Duke Ellington School of the Arts as the city's most-applied-to selective DCPS high schools.
Banneker is one of DCPS's International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme sites:
Students who complete the full IB Diploma earn an internationally recognized credential alongside the DCPS diploma. The program is academically demanding; Banneker's admissions process is in part designed to identify students who can carry the IB load.
A new 21st-century learning facility opened in 2021, replacing the original Banneker building. The campus accommodates roughly 800 students with modern science labs, learning commons, and a renovated athletics complex. The new building is one reason Banneker has continued to attract strong applicants from every ward.
Banneker is application-only — no in-boundary or lottery preference:
Acceptance rates are competitive — typically 1 in 3 or fewer of qualified applicants are offered seats. Families considering Banneker often also apply to School Without Walls, McKinley Tech, and Duke Ellington.
Current enrollment: 69% Black/African-American, 17% Hispanic/Latino, 9% white non-Hispanic, 3% multiracial, 2% Asian, with small Native American and Pacific Islander populations. Banneker's demographic mix reflects citywide DCPS more closely than most Ward 3 schools.
Compare other top DCPS high schools on our high schools in DC directory.
“Benjamin Banneker Academic High School offers one of the District's most rigorous academic programs. The school's mission includes development of life-long skills for learning, sound moral character and regard for the welfare of the community. It prepares students for future leadership roles and admissions to a four year college or university. Banneker empowers students to be globally competitive.”
Specialized Programs
Enrichment
Electric Car Club · Debate Club · International Club · Varsity Sports · Cheerleading · Poetry Club · Debate Club · Newspaper
1600 9TH STREET NW
Dual College Enrollment
Not required
All DC residents enrolled at Benjamin Banneker High School (ages 5–21) qualify for Kids Ride Free — a SmarTrip card that grants free Metrobus, Metrorail, and DC Circulator rides on school days.
Benjamin Banneker High School serves grades 9–12 in the Logan Circle/Shaw neighborhood of Washington DC.
Benjamin Banneker High School is located in Ward 2, Logan Circle/Shaw, Washington DC.
Benjamin Banneker High School is DCPS (DC Public Schools). Contact the school directly for enrollment and seat availability.
Benjamin Banneker High School received a 5/5 star rating (★★★★★) from the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in SY 2018-19. OSSE ratings measure academic achievement, growth, and attendance.
Yes. As a DC public school, Benjamin Banneker High School is tuition-free and open to all DC residents regardless of ward or neighborhood.
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