Who We Are: A Broad Community Committed to a Greater Purpose

Who We Are

• We are 45,000 students committed to graduating from high school, prepared for college and work.
• We are 4,000 teachers determined to live up to our unparalleled role in ensuring the achievement of our students.
• We are 125 principals who demonstrate the vision to build positive school communities focused on academic achievement.
• We are 2,300 classroom aides, social workers, counselors, custodians, and other support staff who understand that our students must be safe, healthy, and supported in order to achieve at the highest possible levels.
• We are countless parents and family members supporting our children and demanding a high-quality education for them.
• We are more than 1,000 community organizations and thousands of volunteers who provide  support for our students and staff in their daily work to achieve excellence.
• We are the residents of Washington DC, who know that a strong school system and high achieving students are the backbone and the future of this city.

Our Common Purpose

The shared goal of these thousands of people is to make DCPS the highest performing urban school district in the nation, and to once and for all close the achievement gap that separates low-income students and students of color from their higher-income and white peers.

What We Believe

Our work toward these overarching goals is fueled by a set of Core Beliefs. We expect every adult in the system to act in accordance with these beliefs every day.

We believe that:

• All children, regardless of background or circumstance, can achieve at the highest levels.
• Achievement is a function of effort, not innate ability.
• We have the power and the responsibility to close the achievement gap.
• Our schools must be caring and supportive environments.
• It is critical to engage our students’ families and communities as valued partners.
• Our decisions at all levels must be guided by robust data.

Where We're Headed

We are committed to a reality where all DCPS schools, without exception, will offer engaging instruction. School facilities will be safe, clean, and modern. And, the central office that supports schools will be efficient, transparent, and responsive. 

DCPS will attract, support, reward, and retain high-performing educators, and will help to build an informed and empowered parent population that will act as a driving force for change. Throughout the system, innovative partnerships will engage the broader community in increasing educational options for students and playing an active, cooperative role in school improvement.

The following six objectives, working in concert, will enable us to realize our collective aspirations for DCPS and those we serve:

1. Create schools that provide a consistent foundation in academics, strong support for social and emotional needs, and a variety of challenging themes and programs.
2. Develop and retain the most highly effective educators in the country, and recognize and reward their work.
3. Implement a rigorous, relevant, college preparatory curriculum that gives all students meaningful options for life.
4. Support decision making with accurate information about how our students are performing and how the district as a whole is performing.
5. Provide schools with the support they need to operate effectively.
6. Partner with families and community members who demand better schools.

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