The 2000 census figures estimated Columbia Heights with a 58 percent African American population; 34 percent Hispanic population; 5.4 percent white population; and 3.1

percent other^[4][5].

There is a popular perception that the majority of people in Columbia Heights are Hispanic, but the majority of residents are African-American. The perception that Hispanics are a majority in Columbia Heights may be due to the neighborhood having the greatest percentage of Hispanics of all Washington, D.C. neighborhoods. Recently some minority renters have moved to less expensive housing outside of the city, particularly to Prince George's County in the state of Maryland. As of 2007, it is estimated that the Hispanic population has fallen to about 25 percent.^{[citation needed]}

Local institutions

In January 2005, the neighborhood became the first permanent home of the GALA Hispanic Theatre which moved into the newly refurbished Tivoli Theatre, a former movie theater built in 1924 that had been vacant since 1976. GALA is a theater company dedicated to performing Spanish-language plays.

In November 2006, the Dance Institute of Washington opened a new 12,000 square foot (1100 m²) facility across the street from the Tivoli Theater^[6].

The neighborhood is also home to the Greater Washington Urban League, the local affiliate of the National Urban League, in addition to other non-profit community and servic

e-based organizations including: The Latin American Youth Center, CentroNia, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) and the Shaw/Columbia Heights Family and Community Support Collaborative, all located along the 14th St. and Columbia Rd. corridor.

Columbia Heights is home to the Ecuadoran embassy on 15th Street and the Mexican Cultural Institute on 16th Street. The official residence of the Ambassador of Spain is also on 16th Street in Columbia Heights.

Education

Residents are zoned to District of Columbia Public Schools.

Public schools in Columbia Heights include:

High schools

• Cardozo High School
• Benjamin Banneker Academic High School
• Bell Multicultural Senior High School
• Booker T. Washington Public Charter School for the Technical Arts

Middle schools

• Lincoln Middle School

Elementary schools

• Bruce Monroe Elementary School
• Park View Elementary School
• Tubman Elementary School

Public Charter Schools

• DC Bilingual Public Charter School
• AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School
• Capital City Public Charter School
• Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School
• Children's Studio Public Charter School
• E. L. Haynes Public Charter School
• YouthBuild Public Charter School
• The Next Step Public Charter School
• Booker T. Washington Public Charter School for the Technical Arts

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