District of Columbia International School

At a Glance

District of Columbia International School (DCI) is a public charter school serving grades 6–12 in the Takoma neighborhood of Ward 4. With more than 1,600 students, it's one of the larger charter middle/high schools in the city, drawing families from across DC who are interested in language immersion and the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework.

The school is located at 1400 Main Drive NW, on the upper edge of the District near the Maryland border. As a public charter, DCI is tuition-free and open to any DC resident through the citywide lottery, with no entrance exam or academic screening.

What Parents Should Know

There are a few practical things DC families should understand before applying:

• Admissions are through My School DC. Like all DC public charters, DCI participates in the common lottery. Families rank schools on a single application, and seats are offered based on lottery results. There is no testing or interview component.
• Feeder priority matters. DCI is connected to a network of language-immersion elementary "member schools," and students from those schools receive priority in the Grade 6 lottery. Families who don't come from a member school can still apply, but the most reliable entry point is 6th grade.
• It's a 6–12 school. That means students can stay through high school graduation without another transition. For many families, this avoids the stress of a separate middle-to-high-school application during 8th grade.
• Language learning is central. DCI offers three language tracks — Chinese, French, and Spanish — and students continue building proficiency in their chosen language through high school. No prior language experience is required to enroll.
• Location and commute. The Takoma/Ward 4 location is accessible by Metro and bus, but families coming from Wards 7 and 8 should plan for a longer commute. DCI typically provides transportation supports; check with the school for current details.

Programs and Approach

DCI is an authorized IB World School and uses what it calls an "IB for All" model. Rather than reserving the IB Diploma Programme for a select group of high-achieving students, the school aims to make IB coursework the default pathway, with academic supports built in to help a wide range of learners access it. In practice, that means the IB Middle Years Programme in the middle grades and IB courses in high school.

The school's stated focus is on student agency, inclusion, and preparing students to function in a multilingual world. Language study is woven into the daily schedule rather than treated as a single elective period.

Because DCI is a charter, it operates independently of DCPS but is publicly funded and tuition-free. Enrollment runs through the My School DC common lottery each year, typically with applications due in late winter or early spring. Families with students already enrolled at DCI member elementary schools should pay close attention to feeder priority rules when ranking schools.

Visiting and Contact

Address: 1400 Main Drive NW, Washington, DC (Takoma, Ward 4) Phone: 202-808-9033 Website: dcinternationalschool.org

DCI typically hosts open houses and information sessions during the fall and winter lottery season. For current tour dates, application deadlines, and details about the language tracks and IB programming, visit the school's website or call the main office directly.