Ballou High School was founded in the early 1960s to serve residents in the southern part of Anacostia, including Congress Heights, Washington Highlands, and Bellevue. The school was named for Dr. Frank Washington Ballou, superintendent of the DC public schools from 1920 to 1943. Ballou SHS is known for having one of the best choirs and bands in the District. The Ballou SHS band has traveled to California and Alabama and placed in the top three in both national competitions. The Ballou SHS band is directed by Mr. Darrell Watson. and his all volunteer Ballou alumni staff. Ballou has produced several DCIAA City Champions and many NCAA Scholarship Athletes. The previous principal Dr Art Bridges is the Uncle of Rapper/Actor Chris Bridges. Ludacris has visited Ballou several times to give motivation speeches to the youth. In 1998, author Ron Suskind published the book "A Hope in the Unseen" about a Ballou High School student named Cedric Jennings. The book was based on a series of Pulitzer-prize winning articles written in The Wall Street Journal by Suskind. The story follows Jennings efforts to attend an Ivy League University in spite of his troubled upbringing. In 2003 a major instance of mercury being spread throughout the school caused for its closure for several weeks and the redirection of students and staff to nearby educational facilities. On February 2, 2004, 19-year-old Thomas J. Boykin fatally shot 17-year-old James Richardson. Boykin was later acquitted on the charge of murder. In 2008, director Michael Patrei, released a documentary Ballou about the Ballou High School Marching Band that aired on BET. during Fall 2009. NBC4 News reported another shooting on August 26, 2008 of a 16-year-old just off the campus grounds resulting in a lock-down of the campus. From August 2016 to May 2017 about 25% of the staff left the school; this occurred as almost 200 DCPS teachers left their jobs.
Attendance zones and feeder patterns
is within Ballou's attendance boundary. The following elementary schools feed into Ballou: Garfield, Hendley, M. L. King, Leckie, Malcolm X, Patterson, Simon, and Turner. The following middle schools feed into Ballou: Charles Hart Middle School and John Hayden Johnson Middle School.
In 2016 3% of the students had proficiency in DC reading standards according to DC tests. In 2017, all 189 students in Ballou High School's senior class applied to college. It was the first time the high school's entire senior class had applied to college. The high school credited its college-prep classes and a school-wide campaign to apply to college. As of the summer of 2017 all 170 members of the graduating class of 2017 were accepted to universities; an additional 20 students had August graduations scheduled. In November 2017, it came to light that Ballou's administration had graduated dozens of students despite high rates of unexcused absences. Half of the graduates missed more than three months of school in their senior year, unexcused; one in five students were absent more than they were present, and when many of these students did attend school they struggled academically. Two months before graduation, only 57 students were on track to graduate. Brian Butcher, a history teacher at Ballou, said the claim of all students graduating was "smoke and mirrors. That is what it was."
In September 1975, Ballou SHS opened their School of Mathematics, Science and Technology. At that time, the program was considered one of the most sophisticated curricula in the city. One intention was to develop within Ballou a "Magnet" High School of Science and Mathematics to emphasize:
The provision of prerequisite skills for students who planned on technical training or employment immediately after high school.
Controversy
In February 1977, six employees from the Central Intelligence Agency began tutoring Ballou students in computer technology, photogrammetry and photo science. Parents, teachers, and lawmakers expressed concerns about privacy and student recruitment after learning of the program months after it had already begun. The CIA denied that they were recruiting or violating privacy within the school.
Danny Gatton, one of Rolling Stone magazine's top guitarists of all time, attended but did not graduate. Named album 88 Elmira Street after Congress Heights street where he grew up.
Essex Hemphill, poet and activist, known for his activism in the African American and LGBT communities.
Jesse T. Smith, Decorated Military Leader, Sergeant Audie Murphy Leadership Award Recipient, four time U.S. Army Combat Veteran, two time Democratic Congressional Nominee.
