Mayor Bowser Celebrates Transformation of Malcolm X Elementary School in Ward 8

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser joined DC Public Schools (DCPS), the Department of General Services (DGS), the eldest daughter of Malcolm X, Ambassador Attallah Shabazz, and community members to celebrate and cut the ribbon on the newly modernized Malcolm X Elementary School in Ward 8.

“We are just about one month into the new school year, and at each school visit, I see so much talent, curiosity and joy in our students, and we are grateful for the educators who are nurturing that joy and challenging our students,” said Mayor Bowser. “Today, we are celebrating this beautiful new school and we’re also celebrating the community and history behind it.”

The $67 million modernization combines education, architecture, sustainability and public art to create a campus that is deeply connected to the identity and history of the Malcolm X school community. The modernized school is double the size of the original school built in the early 1960s, with the facility expanding from about 42,000 square feet to 85,000 square feet.

Built to give young learners a strong foundation, the school expands early childhood education (ECE) and provides students and educators with modern classrooms, STEAM learning spaces, a new gymnasium, cafeteria and commercial kitchen, media center and library, outdoor learning spaces, playgrounds and a synthetic turf athletic field.

Beyond its ECE classrooms offering free, full-day pre-K3 and pre-K4, Malcolm X will also house a newly reconstructed child development center serving infants and toddlers in partnership with a community-based organization. The goal in co-locating these centers inside DCPS schools is to give families a seamless, supported path from infant and toddler care straight into pre-K. With Malcolm X’s opening, there are now 13 DCPS elementary schools citywide with on-site child development centers. The Bowser Administration began expanding these co-located facilities in 2020 with the Stevens Early Learning Center in Ward 2, and has since opened nine more, including the Garfield Elementary School Early Learning Center in Ward 8 (2025), along with the Randle Highlands (2023), Whitlock (2025), and Miner (2026) early learning centers in Ward 7.

“Today’s celebration marks a new chapter for our Malcolm X Eagles, who have been learning in their modernized spaces for nearly a month,” said DCPS Interim Chancellor Dr. Kim Jackson. “Under the leadership of Principal Berry-Young, this school will continue to honor its namesake’s legacy while inspiring the next generation through rigorous academic programming and enrichment opportunities. Congratulations to the Malcolm X and Ward 8 communities!”

Sustainability is also central to the school’s design. The Net Zero Energy-ready facility features rooftop solar panels, solar parking canopies, high efficiency HVAC systems, LED lighting, water saving fixtures and sustainable stormwater management.

“When you walk into this school, you can see that every part of it was designed with our students and this community in mind,” said DGS Director Delano Hunter. “We worked alongside our partners to deliver a modernized school that honors the rich history of this campus, and we are especially proud of how the DGS Percent for Art program brought that history to life through artwork that is now part of the everyday experience for anyone, really even before they walk through the doors.”

One of the most striking and unique features of the newly modernized Malcolm X Elementary School is its use of public art. A prominent mural on the front of the school connects the school community and visitors to the history and legacy of Malcolm X. Measuring 32 feet by 16 feet and standing 9 feet tall, the mural serves as a powerful visual centerpiece and a lasting tribute to the school’s namesake.

The campus is also home to a life-size statue of Malcolm X, along with a signature art installation in the school’s stair tower and additional artwork throughout the building. Together, the pieces bring history, culture and storytelling into the school and give students a chance to experience art as part of their everyday learning environment. Find more information about the artwork in the Malcolm X Art Catalogue.

Since 2015, the Bowser Administration has invested nearly $5 billion into DCPS facilities, including major renovations, modernizations and new construction across all eight wards. In Ward 8, the District has invested approximately $468 million in school projects, including $165 million for Ballou High School (2015), $53 million for Boone Elementary School (2018), $85 million for Bard High School Early College DC (2022), $55 million for Garfield Elementary School (2024), $23 million for the Leckie Education Campus addition (2026) and the $67 million for Malcolm X Elementary School.

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