Initiatives
Advancing education in the nation’s capital.
Explore our innovative investments that transform the learning experience in DC Public Schools.
Showing 11 Initiatives
ResetBeyond the Bell
Beyond the Bell enriches the middle school experience for DC Public School students by expanding access to youth sports, clubs, and immersive activities. Aligned with DCPS’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, this initiative helps students grow, connect, and thrive by doubling afterschool enrichment opportunities and boosting students’ sense of belonging.
High School Redesign
In February 2022, DCPS and XQ launched “DC+XQ”, a multi-year partnership to reimagine the high school experience in the nation’s capital. This community-led initiative brings together teachers, families, students, and community members to imagine what’s possible for DCPS’ high school students.
Equity Centered Principal Pipeline
DCPS works in partnership with Universities and Community Organizations leaders to create, design, and implement an equity-centered leadership pipeline where educators and the students they serve feel loved, challenged, and make an impact on Washington D.C. and the world at-large.
DCPS Becoming
DC Public Schools (DCPS) is committed to ensuring that every student feels supported, challenged, and prepared for success. As part of this vision, DCPS is embracing a whole-child approach to teaching and learning—one that prioritizes academic engagement, social-emotional growth, and a strong sense of belonging for both students and educators.
DCPS Persists
DCPS Persists is the first college completion initiative ever led by a traditional public school district in the country. For the first time, DCPS is providing college-bound students with a support network to help them succeed and complete college.
DC Reading Clinic
The DC Reading Clinic launched in 2018 to meet two critical needs at once: offering intense, one-on-one decoding sessions for DCPS’ most struggling readers, and providing clinical apprenticeships for DCPS educators to become literacy experts. The Clinic now operates in three locations across the city.
High School Redesign (Anacostia and Ballou High School)
In 2019, DCPS launched a High School redesign initiative, the district’s first community-driven transformation strategy beginning with Anacostia HS and Ballou HS. Grounded on human centered practices, redesign teams lead schools through a year long incubation journey that transform schools with and for them versus aiming solutions “at” them.
Bard High School Early College DC (Bard DC)
Bard DC is a four-year public high school that offers students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma, up to 60 transferable college credits, and an associate in arts degree from Bard College. As the first stand alone early college high school East of the River, Bard DC is moving the finish line for students motivated by getting an early start to college.
Learning Together to Advance our Practice (LEAP)
LEAP built on the early success of IMPACTplus taking the quality of instruction from good to great. At the core, LEAP is about helping teachers become true subject-matter experts so that every student across the city experiences rich, engaging, and challenging instruction every day.
Cornerstones
Cornerstones introduced high-quality, powerful lessons and student experiences across every grade, every ward, and every content area including ELA, math, science, social studies, art, health, PE, and world languages.
IMPACT and IMPACTplus
IMPACT was the very first investment: a rigorous teacher accountability system that sparked a student-performance minded culture across DCPS. Over the years, its evolved into IMPACTplus, which added results-driven compensation and career paths which set new records for teacher and school leader retention across the district.