Expectations are outlined for a coherent system of professional support aligned to teacher professional development standards, as well as student standards, curriculum, and assessments. The professional development framework emphasizes teacher collaboration, reflection about their daily practice, and continuous learning. The framework facilitates the subsequent adoption of DCPS’s “Learning together to Advance our Practice” (“LEAP”) program, which organizes teachers into small, content-specific professional learning communities engaged in weekly cycles of development; and also creates sufficient room for future iterations of the program.

The district is required to maintain a professional growth system for teachers that has the following elements:
– Performance standards
– A multi-year professional growth cycle that includes formal evaluations
– A job-embedded professional development program that leverages school-based teacher leaders as instructors

The contract establishes a mentor program that provides culturally specific support to newly hired educators of color. Mentor teachers receive a 3% base pay increase.

The Curriculum Leader role is created for teachers to provide instructional coaching to other teachers in the district while sometimes continuing to teach part-time. The contract provides the district the discretion to create the job descriptions for these roles, and openings for the roles in winter 2024 described subject-specific roles responsible for writing curriculum, creating assessments, supervising coaches, and running professional learning sessions.

Teacher Leaders focus on developing and leading professional learning sessions; mentoring and coaching, particularly new teachers; or facilitating professional learning communities.

A peer assistance review model is established in which exemplary teachers assist other teachers in need of developing specific subject or instructional skills. The assisting teacher works with a teacher evaluator to develop an improvement plan for the assisted teacher.