Statewide Assessments Show Improvement at Walls and Districtwide

Statewide assessments marked the conclusion of a long school year and the start of a bright, refreshing summer. The DC CAPE results for the 2024–25 school year had just been released, and Walls students and staff were delighted to hear that test scores had improved significantly.

Due to the pandemic, assessment scores had dropped compared to pre-COVID levels. This year marked the second administration of the CAPE assessment, and results continued to improve.

With the introduction of CAPE, the assessment was tailored to the curriculum taught in DC schools rather than to standards used across multiple states. The PARCC assessment had been a multi-state collaboration, limiting the District’s ability to design its own standards. CAPE, however, gave DC more freedom to align the test with what was being taught locally. It also combined ELA, math, and science under one assessment instead of keeping them separate. As OSSE noted, DC CAPE was “by DC, for DC.”

Data from DCPS showed increased participation rates: up 0.65% in ELA and 0.12% in math from SY 2021–22 to SY 2024–25. Proficiency also increased, with a 6.8% rise in ELA and a 7% rise in math from post-pandemic levels to today. Improvements were seen across public, charter, and other DC institutions. At Walls specifically, assessment scores excelled: 68% of students received a 4 or higher in math, and an impressive 97% earned a 4 or higher in ELA.

“I was very proud of the fact that Walls went up seven percent,” added underclassmen math teacher Carole Phillips. “Both [Mr. Webster and I] worked really, really hard to make that happen, and we were very proud of the fact that it did happen.”

Phillips added, “I thought that was part of the reason why we were such a highly ranked school…we put in the work that was needed to make sure our students were successful. And, you know, we believed in our students. We steered them in a way that made those positive differences.”

Emerald Pearsall (‘29) reflected on her own experience with the assessment, saying, “I felt like it did make sense—they improved the test, it was a bit better. When the test was improved, I thought it captured what students learned throughout the year.”

The pandemic had also shaped students’ perspectives on testing. “The pandemic was tough for a lot of students because it was difficult to learn online,” said Olivia Dzerec Dunton (‘29). She added that she was glad things were getting back on track.

Humanities teacher Laura Webster analyzed the usefulness of the state assessment and praised the students’ performance. “I thought it demonstrated the strong work that the now-sophomore class put into theirs, and the junior class as well. CAPE scores were really volatile—it was a task that really reflected just a small subset of the skill set you developed in an English class. So it was mostly about reading comprehension skills. What we did in English class also incorporated writing, speaking, and listening skills.”

She continued, “One thing I noticed was that the more you were really thinking critically and in a nuanced way about a topic, the harder it could become to take multiple-choice tests.”

She concluded by noting how the school encouraged students to push themselves on CAPE, which strengthened the school’s overall standing. Assistant Principal Turner agreed, saying, “It showed that our students were reaching their pre-pandemic levels and that students were more and more capable of reaching college readiness in their preparation for school.”

Walls saw notable improvements across both math and ELA. ELA scores rose from 97% of students scoring a 4 or 5 to 99%, while math improved from 68% to 75%. These gains contributed to Walls being ranked #1 in the District, #2 in the Washington Metro Area, and #69 nationally.

With scores improving steadily, the district may stand a chance at climbing further in national rankings, currently standing at 24th out of 50 states. The newly designed CAPE tests—tailored to coursework across the district—may prove essential in ensuring students meet or exceed grade-level expectations.

For Walls, higher scores reinforced its reputation for rigorous academics and excellence. Teachers encouraged students to sustain growth by fully understanding class material, taking advantage of office hours, and seeking help when needed. They also reminded students of the basics: rest well and eat a balanced meal on test day—simple but crucial steps for success.