LaSalle-Backus ES

LaSalle-Backus ES operates as a close-knit elementary campus in Washington, District of Columbia, run under District of Columbia Public Schools. Current enrollment sits at 279 students spanning grades pre-K through 5.

District of Columbia Public Schools runs 117 schools in total, collectively educating 52,030 students. LaSalle-Backus ES is one of those campuses.

Looking at the student body, LaSalle-Backus ES lists that 51% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Beyond that, the school shows 43% Hispanic, 4% White. That is visibly more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 42%.

On the resource side, The school currently runs with 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 8.0:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 11.0:1 average.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for District of Columbia indicate median household earnings sit near $109,870, roughly 64% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 12% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, District of Columbia runs 247 public schools (combined enrollment of about 94,385 students), of which LaSalle-Backus ES is one.

The closest other public school is Rocketship PCS - Infinity Community Prep, roughly 0.4 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The school occupies a downtown site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count shrank 23%: 363 students in 2018 compared to 279 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 9.7:1 in 2018 to 8.0:1 today.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.