DC Preparatory Academy Benning Elementary Campus - Washington, DC

DC Prep's Benning Elementary Campus (BEC) opened in 2008 and serves approximately 440 students (preschool through 3rd grade). BEC is located in Ward 7, one of two wards in DC that have persistently had the lowest household incomes, highest unemployment rates, and lowest educational attainment levels. Since its opening over a decade ago, BEC has consistently been among the highest-performing elementary schools in Ward 7.

Using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework and the Response to Intervention (RTI) Model, our faculty invest in building strong interpersonal relationships with students, leveraging a deep understanding of our students' identities and needs to create a compassionate, student-centered, rigorous learning environment where all students are able to better access and engage in academic and social-emotional learning. This is how we create the conditions for students to thrive.

Our faculty work collaboratively to meet every student's needs through a "push-in" - rather than a "pull-out" - model for instruction. Our faculty view students' families as valuable and crucial partners in their student's academic journey, keeping them apprised of their student's progress and partnering with them to proactively problem-solve anticipated barriers to growth. Teachers use exit tickets and interim assessments to regularly measure student progress and use this data to tailor upcoming instruction accordingly. These practices distinguish BEC and contribute to its ongoing success.