DCPS offers rigorous enrichment programs for advanced and high-ability students. Program highlights include:
DCPS Advanced Readers Extensions (DARE): A program for students in Grades 2-5, DARE enables advanced readers to read above-grade level books in their classes.
Junior Great Books: A program for students in Grades K-9, Junior Great Books is a curriculum that encourages discussion, critical thinking, and helps students become better writers. Each grade level includes up to 20 short stories from a variety of noteworthy authors that represent many cultures.
Project M2 and M3: A mathematical enrichment program for students in Grades K-6, Mentoring Young Mathematicians and Mentoring Mathematical Minds are curriculum units designed to encourage inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving and effective communication. These units provide opportunities for students who have mastered the core curriculum to extend and enrich their learning by solving problems as professional mathematicians do.
Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM): SEM is a non-traditional approach to gifted education. The SEM provides a broad range of advanced-level enrichment experiences for all students. Each middle grades SEM school has one full-time, professionally-trained enrichment resource teacher who facilitates a wide range of academic course offerings that falls largely outside of the core curriculum. SEM elementary schools have either a SEM resource teacher or a SEM committee who manage the enrichment opportunities for the students.
Contact Information:
Felicia Messina-D'Haiti, Manager, Academic Enrichment Programs
Matthew Reif, Director, Extended Learning and Academic Recovery
Advanced Placement (AP): AP courses offer college-level material to high school students, and all students enrolled in AP courses will take a culminating exam at the end of the year. If students take the AP exam and pass, the college/university they enroll in may grant them course credits. All students at schools that offer AP courses are eligible to take the courses. Students should consult their counselors to determine which courses are right for them.
- At least seven AP courses are offered at each comprehensive and application high school, with at least one course in each of the four core subjects.
- DCPS pays for all students’ AP testing fees.
Homeschooled students: Beginning in the 2023-24 School Year, students homeschooled in the District of Columbia are permitted to take Advanced Placement (AP) exams at a DC Public Schools (DCPS) high school. To request that OSSE inform DCPS of an individual student’s homeschool status as confirmation of their eligibility, please contact Stephanie Thomas at [email protected]. More details on testing logistics will be provided directly to families once a student’s status has been confirmed.
Contact Information:
Rohan Dharan, Manager, Advanced and Enriched Instruction
Bianca Duphey, Director, Academic Innovations