At the Top: School Without Walls Earns #1 Spot in DC in Latest Rankings

In its latest report, U.S. News & World Report named School Without Walls the top public high school in D.C., ranking it first among dozens of schools across the district. Walls was also the only D.C. public school to break into the national top 100, placing 69th among all public high schools nationwide.

Walls is no stranger to the spotlight. Except for 2022, when Banneker briefly surpassed it, Walls has held the top spot since 2020. As a result, students were not surprised by this year’s ranking. Cecile Nouga-Ngog (‘28) said, “I think that was sort of what was expected.”

Despite maintaining its position in D.C., Walls’ national ranking had fluctuated slightly, dipping from 62nd place last year to 69 this year.

According to U.S. News & World Report, school rankings considered factors such as college readiness, state assessment proficiency and performance, curriculum breadth (AP and IB courses offered), underserved student performance, and graduation rate. Walls ranked #1 in the district for both state assessment proficiency and graduation rate. Much of its success stemmed from its rigorous curriculum. As Ms. Jan McGlennon noted, “Walls requires kids to take AP classes, and that is one of the biggest metrics used.” Though US News measures the number of students who pass AP exams, not just the number who take them, Walls students pass at high enough rates that the fact that the classes are mandated gives the school a big rankings boost. 

For some students, such high rankings brought added pressure. Nolan Smith (‘27) said, “Once you reached this point, you just wanted to go further—we wanted to always push beyond the limit.”

Others echoed that while the recognition felt rewarding, it also raised academic expectations across the school, leaving students with a mix of pride and responsibility. “All the students at Walls really tried to hold themselves to a high standard,” said Grace Phelan (‘28).

Some students also expressed little fear of losing the top spot. “Compared to other schools, we were a lot more caring about our academics,” said George Sipher (‘27).

Ultimately, many students viewed rankings as secondary to the school’s supportive environment. As Smith (‘27) said, “Walls is a great community and school—I think that showed in the rankings. All the teachers supported their students and gave them opportunities to do great things.” Still, students and teachers alike noted that rankings did not measure everything, such as SAT scores. Ms. McGlennon added, “I think there's a lot more to education than what [the] College Board wants.”