← Back to schools

H.D. Cooke Elementary School

publicWard 1

Adams Morgan · Grades PK3–5

What the data shows

H.D. Cooke Elementary School · 4-star OSSE rating · Lottery required (MySchoolDC) · 4 photos. Student body: 59% hispanic, 33% blackafrican-american.

2026–27 enrollment openGet lottery alerts:

OSSE STAR Rating

SY 2018-19
4 / 5 stars · Score 71.4 / 100
Enrollment: 428

Source: OSSE School Report Card — official rating from DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

About H.D. Cooke Elementary School

H.D. Cooke Elementary School is a DCPS public elementary serving pre-K3 through 5th grade at 2525 17th Street NW in Adams Morgan, Ward 1. The school's identity is built around its Global Studies framework — every grade incorporates international perspectives, cross-cultural learning, and language exposure into the standard DCPS academic core.

Global Studies program

H.D. Cooke uses Global Studies as both a curricular through-line and an extended-day theme:

  • Cross-curricular international content woven into literacy, math, science, and social studies
  • Global Studies After the Bell — extended-day enrichment focused on language, geography, and cultural projects
  • Partnerships with Adams Morgan community organizations and international embassies in DC

Additional programs

  • DC SCORES soccer + poetry
  • Girls on the Run
  • DCIAA Sports (interscholastic elementary athletics)
  • School Garden
  • Saturday Reading All-Stars (academic acceleration)

Feeder pathway

H.D. Cooke feeds Columbia Heights Education Campus (CHEC) for grades 6–12 under the DCPS boundary system. CHEC is one of DCPS's larger combined middle / high schools, offering IB, AP, and bilingual tracks for Cooke graduates.

Admissions and lottery

In-boundary Adams Morgan families guaranteed seats. Out-of-boundary applicants apply via My School DC before the late-January deadline; the Global Studies identity is a primary out-of-boundary draw. School hours: 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Uniforms required.

Enrollment and demographics

Current enrollment: 59% Hispanic/Latino, 33% Black/African-American, with smaller white, Asian, and multiracial populations. Cooke's demographic mix reflects Adams Morgan's heavily Latino population and its draw on Spanish-speaking families across DC.

Contact and resources

Compare other DCPS elementary options on our elementary schools in DC directory.

H.D. Cooke is a Global Studies school serving students in PK3 - 5th grade. We use our Global Studies program that provides a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world. In addition to our Global Studies program, we also have School-wide Enrichment, with PK-5th grade students participating in Enrichment Clusters.

Specialized Programs

School Garden

Enrichment

Global Studies School · DC Scores · Girls on the Run · DCIAA Sports · Global Studies After the Bell · Saturday Reading All-Stars

🕐 8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.👔 Uniform required

Address

2525 17TH STREET NW

Enrollment Lottery

Required

🚌

Free transit for students

All DC residents enrolled at H.D. Cooke Elementary School (ages 5–21) qualify for Kids Ride Free — a SmarTrip card that grants free Metrobus, Metrorail, and DC Circulator rides on school days.

School Hours

From Google business listing — confirm with the school directly.

  • Monday8:45 AM to 3:15 PM
  • Tuesday8:45 AM to 3:15 PM
  • Wednesday8:45 AM to 3:15 PM
  • Thursday8:45 AM to 3:15 PM
  • Friday8:45 AM to 3:15 PM
  • SaturdayClosed
  • SundayClosed

Specialties

School Garden

Frequently Asked Questions

What grades does H.D. Cooke Elementary School serve?+

H.D. Cooke Elementary School serves grades PK3–5 in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington DC.

What ward is H.D. Cooke Elementary School in?+

H.D. Cooke Elementary School is located in Ward 1, Adams Morgan, Washington DC.

How do I apply to H.D. Cooke Elementary School?+

H.D. Cooke Elementary School is DCPS (DC Public Schools) that requires a lottery application. Applications are submitted through MySchoolDC (myschooldc.org), which opens each November and closes in early February. Results are released in late March.

What is H.D. Cooke Elementary School's OSSE star rating?+

H.D. Cooke Elementary School received a 4/5 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.

Is H.D. Cooke Elementary School tuition-free?+

Yes. As a DC public school, H.D. Cooke Elementary School is tuition-free and open to all DC residents regardless of ward or neighborhood.

More schools in Ward 1

All Ward 1 schools →

Other public schools in DC