District of Columbia Public Schools LEAP
With the LEAP program, D.C. Public Schools made a big bet that a coherent instructional improvement system could help teachers become experts at teaching high-quality, standards-aligned content, ensuring that all students would experience rigorous and engaging instruction every day.
About Learning Together to Advance Our Practice (LEAP)
We began a partnership with DC Public Schools (DCPS) in 2013 to launch Teacher Leadership Innovation – a teams-based, instruction-focused pilot program that operated in seven schools. After realizing early successes, the program evolved into the “LEarning together to Advance our Practice” (LEAP) initiative that continues in all 115 of the district’s schools today.
Through the DC Public Schools LEAP program, the district has prioritized elevating instruction across the entire school system, building both the capacity of teachers to lead changes in the quality of teaching that takes place in their school and the capacity of DCPS to embed and sustain a robust professional learning system in alignment with other initiatives. By the second year of the program, we worked with DCPS to train about 600 teacher, school, and district leaders who impact over 48,000 students each year.
Enduring Impact
Since partnering with Leading Educators to strengthen teaching, DC Public Schools has seen four years of significant growth in ELA and math proficiency.
116 schools
served by curriculum-based professional learning in all core content areas
49,000+ students
supported to access grade-level content
Featured Media & Reports
LEAP changed the trajectory of how leading school systems across the country approach instructional quality, professional learning, and teacher support. Dig into the pieces below for nuanced perspectives on the planning and implementation process, change management, and lasting impact.
