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District of Columbia International School

United States, Washington DC

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 11 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1650
Type Co-educational
Opened 2014
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (MYP), IB (DP), IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme)
Taught languages Spanish, French, Mandarin
Strengths Languages, STEM, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Middle School, High School
Introduction

District of Columbia International School (DCI) is a tuition-free public charter for students aged 11–18, serving grades 6–12 on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus in Delano Hall. Founded in 2014, it grew from language-immersion charters to become an International Baccalaureate World School offering the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for grades 6–10 and the Diploma Programme (DP) or Career Programme (CP) for grades 11–12. DCI implements an IB for All approach, with English as the language of instruction for core subjects and three language tracks (French, Spanish, and Chinese), where language study and electives are delivered in the target language. The school runs a 1:1 Chromebook program, supporting inquiry-based, student-centered learning. Distinctive features include language immersion, work-based learning through CP, and robust electives in arts and STEM. The campus is Tier 1 per DC PCSB, and ACE activities, athletics, and partnerships enrich experiences. A true model for IB for families.

1400 Main Dr NW, Washington, DC 20012, United States

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

District of Columbia International School has 1,650 pupils, instruction in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin.

Location
The Parks at Walter Reed, 1400 Main Drive NW, Washington, DC 20012. The school is located at Delano Hall on the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus, with the main entrance at the corner of 16th Street NW and Main Drive NW and the back entrance at Aspen Street NW and 14th Street NW. Buses D31, S2, and S4 travel on 16th Street to Delano Hall; 52, 53, and 54 travel on 14th Street to Delano Hall; 70 and 79 travel on Georgia Avenue to the opposite side of the campus (a 7-minute walk to Delano Hall). The nearest Metro station is Takoma (Red Line; the 53 bus from Takoma takes about 5 minutes to Delano Hall, with a 19-minute walk from Takoma).

Stages
Middle and high school (grades 6–12)

Type
Public charter middle and high school

Additional learning support
Targeted academic support in grades 11–12 to prepare for IB assessments

School day structure
Middle school: English and Math every day; language track (French, Spanish, or Chinese) daily; electives on alternating days. High school: English, Math, language, Science, and History every day; electives, arts, and PE on alternating days.

Bus service
Buses: D31, S2, and S4 on 16th Street to Delano Hall; 52, 53, and 54 on 14th Street to Delano Hall; 70 and 79 on Georgia Avenue to the other side of the campus (7-minute walk to Delano Hall)
Diving Deeper
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Fees
Application fees

- There is no application fee charged by DC International School; admissions are handled through the citywide My School DC lottery and prospective families apply via that system.

Tuition (by year group and per term)

- DC International School is a tuition-free public charter school for all enrolled students in Grades 6–12. There is no tuition charged per term or per year for any grade level. (State-funded; no tuition billed to families.)

Billing schedule and payment terms (other chargeable programs and items)

- After‑school clubs (ACE) for middle school students are billed per trimester; ACE pricing is stated on a per‑trimester basis. Middle school ACE rates are charged by class and by the number of meeting days per week each trimester.

- Late pick‑up / drop‑in after‑care is subject to a fee when students remain on campus past the allowed time; a $12 drop‑in after‑care charge is applied to a family's CommunityPass account for middle school students found awaiting pickup after the late cutoff.

- Fees related to athletics, club registrations, ACE balances, and other program balances are managed through the school's online registration/billing platforms (CommunityPass for ACE and athletics; SchoolCafé for meal accounts). Families are responsible for clearing balances to remain eligible for some activities (for example, high‑school after‑school programming is free only if there are no outstanding balances for ACE, Chromebooks, or lunch).

Boarding fees

- DC International School does not operate as a boarding school. There are no boarding fees. The school is a day, public charter middle and high school serving DC residents.

Other costs and typical fee items (amounts where published)

- ACE (Activities, Clubs & Extracurriculars) — Middle School (prices per trimester):
- $135 per class (regular tuition per trimester for classes meeting once per week).
- $270 for classes that meet 2 days per week per trimester.
- $405 for classes that meet 3 days per week per trimester.
- $540 for classes that meet 4 days per week per trimester.
- FARMS (Free and Reduced Meals) reduced ACE rates per trimester: $60 per class; $120 (2 days/wk); $180 (3 days/wk); $240 (4 days/wk).
- Post‑ACE lounge (per trimester) regular tuition: $50 per day-of-week; scaled pricing for multiple days as published; FARMS and EA (Extra Assistance) reduced lounge pricing applies.
- Drop‑in ACE tuition: $6 per day (regular), $4 per day (FARMS), $1 per day (EA).
- High school after‑school programming is noted as free but requires no outstanding balances.

- Athletics fees and related costs:
- There are fees to cover the cost of Middle School and High School interscholastic sports; the school provides team uniforms (to be returned at season end). Families may be required to pay for individual items that are for personal use (mouthguards, shin guards, gloves, or coach‑specified apparel). Specific per‑team or per‑season athletic fees are charged at registration and vary by sport.

- Chromebook repair / replacement charges (family financial responsibility when devices are damaged, lost, or require parts replacement):
- Replace damaged Chromebook: typically ranges approximately USD 110.00–260.00 (contingent on original purchase price and depreciated value).
- Screen replacement: approximately USD 30.00–40.00.
- Touchscreen replacement: approximately USD 70.00.
- Power cord replacement: approximately USD 25.00.
- Keyboard replacement: approximately USD 50.00–80.00.
- Broken hinges: approximately USD 70.00.
- Families are responsible for shipping costs for repairs when applicable. These repair and replacement charge bands are published in the school's Student & Family Handbook.

- School meals / lunch accounts:
- Meal accounts and payments are handled through SchoolCafé; families use the student ID to manage and fund lunch accounts. Meal prices are set for the school meal program and some families may qualify for free or reduced‑price meals (FARMS). Charges for purchases from the school meal program are managed via SchoolCafé.

- International travel (Voyager program) and field‑trip costs:
- Families are expected to pay the cost of high‑school international travel programming; the school budgets some subsidy and maintains a Voyager Fund for partial assistance. If a student becomes ineligible before a DCI‑sponsored trip begins, families will be refunded amounts contributed toward the trip minus the non‑refundable deposit. Refunds are not provided for students who withdraw for personal reasons or who are sent home for misconduct while on a trip; families bear the cost to send a student home in such cases.

Refund information (where the school specifies it)

- Tuition: not applicable (school is tuition‑free).

- International trips: refunds are issued for funds contributed if a student becomes ineligible before the trip starts, less any non‑refundable deposit; no refunds for withdrawal by a student for personal reasons or for disciplinary removal during a trip.

- For ACE, athletics, meal accounts, Chromebook charges, and other program fees, standard billing and refund practices are administered through the school's registration and billing platforms; ACE pricing and drop‑in charges are published for middle school trimesters. Specific refund terms for ACE or athletics registrations are handled at registration and through the platform used (CommunityPass).

Fee payment options and methods

- After‑school clubs and activity registrations (ACE) and athletics are processed via CommunityPass (online registration platform) which supports online payments (credit/debit card and eCheck, card‑on‑file, and recurring payments where enabled). Families will be billed or charged at registration or as specified by program registration terms.

- School meal account payments are managed through SchoolCafé; SchoolCafé accepts online credit or debit card and other electronic payment methods for meal account deposits. Families use their student ID to link accounts and add funds.

- Chromebook repair and replacement charges are billed to families and handled by the school's IT/billing processes; families may be directed to the student billing contact (student.billing@dcinternationalschool.org) for payment coordination.

Contacts referenced for billing or program registration

- Student billing contact: student.billing@dcinternationalschool.org (listed in the Student & Family Handbook as the point of contact for lunch billing and related account matters).
- ACE registration and athletics contacts are managed via acedci@dcinternationalschool.org and athletics@dcinternationalschool.org and occur through CommunityPass.

(End of fees overview.)
Academics

District of Columbia International School teaches IB (MYP), IB (DP), IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme) for students aged 11 to 18.

Curriculum
The school is an IB World School offering an International Baccalaureate for All program. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) serves grades 6-10, and the Diploma Programme (DP) or Career Programme (CP) serves grades 11-12. Language tracks include French, Spanish, and Chinese, with daily language study and electives often taught in the target language. English is the language of instruction for core subjects, and the IB framework emphasizes inquiry-based learning, student agency, and global mindedness. The IB program integrates language development with rigorous, college-preparatory coursework and culminates in IB assessments and related certificates.

Exam Results
Graduates earn a DCI Diploma, an IB Diploma, an IB Career-related Certificate, course-specific IB certificates, and/or an IB Bilingual Diploma. The school is rated Tier 1 by the DC PCSB and consistently outperforms the city PARCC averages. Final examinations are part of the program and prepare students for university and life beyond.

Higher Education Progression
Graduates attend a range of colleges and universities; many universities offer college credit for IB coursework and give preference in admissions to IB Diploma candidates.
Wellbeing
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Parent Experience
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Facilities
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Extra-Curricular Activities
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Languages
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Reputation
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Admissions

Admissions
Admissions are open to all DC residents and occur through the My School DC lottery; families cannot apply directly to DCI. DCI accepts applications for Grades 6-9 and offers language tracks in Chinese, French, and Spanish; applicants may apply to one, two, or all three language tracks. Students from DCI member elementary schools have priority for sixth grade admissions; member schools are DC Bilingual PCS, E.W. Stokes Community Freedom PCS, Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS, Mundo Verde PCS, and Washington Yu Ying PCS. There are preferences (Sibling, Children of Staff, Founders); if seats remain after member-school priority, they may be offered to general lottery applicants; there are no prerequisites, no prior IB experience, no minimum GPA, and no minimum language proficiency required.
School Events
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