The mission of the DC Public Schools (DCPS) is to ensure that every school guarantees students reach their full potential through rigorous and joyful learning experiences provided in a nurturing environment.

Summary of Services

DCPS delivers all services required to provide students with a quality education. These include:

• Operating schools that provide a consistent foundation in academics, strong support for social/emotional needs, and challenging themes and programs;
• Hiring, developing, and rewarding teachers, principals, aides, and other staff;
• Developing and implementing academic programs that provide all students with meaningful options for life;
• Collecting data and providing policymakers with accurate information about how our students and the school district are performing; and
• Providing schools the administrative and operational support they need to foster student achievement, creating forums for interaction and continued dialogue between DCPS and its community stakeholders.

The Local funds budget for the District of Columbia Public Schools is developed through the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF). It provides a per-student base foundation funding level as well as weighting factors for grade level. The UPSFF assigns additional funds for special education categories and English language learners through add-on weights. For more information, refer to District of Columbia Official Code Section 38-29.