Teacher quality is the most important lever for improving student achievement and has been a central priority since 2007.

A Standing Ovation for DC Teachers

Our signature annual event A Standing Ovation for DC Teachers, is designed to recognize and reward DCPS' best and brightest educators.  

Find out more about this event.

Projects we support currently include:

Performance Evaluation for School-Based Staff

DCPS’ pioneering personnel evaluation system ensures that all teachers, principals, and other school staff clearly understand what is expected of them, get constructive feedback on their performance, and receive targeted support to improve their effectiveness. IMPACT recognizes teachers whose students show the greatest learning gains and identifies specific areas where mid-level and lower performers need additional support.

Initial funding for this work was provided by Fight For Children.

Find out more about this project.

Customized Online Professional Development for Teachers

A new online platform will provide DCPS teachers with customized support to improve their skills. It will offer a central access point for all professional development tools, which will be customized based on each teacher’s IMPACT evaluation. Resources also will include streaming videos of exemplary teachers and online scheduling for mentor teachers to visit their classrooms, among other innovations.

Initial support for this work was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Education Fund is continuing fundraising efforts to support this platform throughout its build and initial launch.

Performance-Based Compensation

DCPS’ landmark new teacher contract rewards strong classroom performance, recognizing great teachers and strengthening professional accountability across the board.

Funding was provided by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, The Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation, the Robertson Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation.