Academics | A District of Columbia Public School

W. B. Patterson is a 2024 BOLD PERFORMANCE SCHOOL

Bold Performance Schools are the DC schools that boldly support priority students — students designated as at-risk, students with disabilities, and students of color — to reach academic success. We are one of the 12 incredible schools that are proving what’s possible, with proficiency rates 13.5 points higher than schools serving similar levels of priority students. They also are improving 3-4x faster than the District average since the pandemic.

W.B. Patterson is a BOLD SCHOOL. See the report here.

COMMON CORE STANDARDS

The Common Core is a set of nationally recognized academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy. These learning goals outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. The standards were created to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and life, regardless of where they live.

In addition to adopting the Common Core State Standards in reading and mathematics, the District of Columbia has adopted challenging learning standards that define the knowledge, concepts and skills that students should acquire at each grade level. Visit the Office of the State Superintendent of Education site to view the standards for arts, health and physical education, science, social studies, technology, and world language.

ASSESSMENTS

Report Cards

Report cards are distributed at the end of each quarter. In each area, teachers will communicate the expectations of each standard on the report card, and will show your child’s progress in each concept. Parents will have opportunities to discuss students’ progress and work at parent-teacher conferences, which are scheduled three times a year, or at any time by contacting their child’s teacher.

The District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE)

Students in the 3rd through 5th grades take an assessment test in the spring knows as The District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE). The DC CAPE assessment is computer-based and matches the high expectations of the Common Core standards, requiring students to think critically and solve real-world problems. The DC CAPE test assesses what children are learning in school and helps teachers and parents know if students are on track for success in college and careers. For more information about the DC CAPE, including what to expect and how to prepare, please visit the OSSE website here.

Click here for 2024-2025 DC CAPE scores.

INTERVENTIONS

Both instructional coaches and dedicated interventionists are on staff to provide targeted reading support for students who require additional assistance, utilizing i-Ready to deliver data-informed interventions tailored to individual student needs.

Reading Specialist

Supports students’ literacy development by providing targeted instruction to those who need additional help with reading and writing. She works closely with classroom teachers to assess students’ reading levels, design intervention plans, and monitor progress. Reading specialists also help implement school-wide literacy programs, provide professional development for staff, and collaborate with families to support reading at home.

We have interventions in both reading and math to support students that are struggling academically.

Math Intervention

Each grade level from Kindergarten through 5th has a dedicated mathematics interventionist who provides targeted support using i-Ready instructional lessons to strengthen foundational mathematical concepts and assist students who need additional help.

High Impact Tutoring

To further support student learning in both reading and math, we also offer High Impact Tutoring (HIT) after school—an evidence-based approach that provides small-group, high-frequency instruction focused on accelerating academic growth for students performing below grade level.