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    DC Public Schools Reviews

    Updated June 21, 2018
    281 reviews

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    3.1
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
    DC Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson
    Antwan Wilson
    20 Ratings

    281 Employee Reviews

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    Pros

    • "Good pay decent benefits always have days off" (in 15 reviews)

    • "Professional development opportunities were unparalleled" (in 14 reviews)

    Cons
    More Pros and Cons

    1. "Enjoy Central Office"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in Washington, DC
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in Washington, DC
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at DC Public Schools full-time

      Pros

      - Considering the world of low-paying education, DCPS central office pays well
      - Most employees work incredibly hard and do not mind working longer hours to ensure an excellent product
      - Generally friendly environment, from coworkers to leadership

      Cons

      - Reorganizations happen every couple years and equate layoffs
      - Sometimes minds are already made in regards to who will be hired/promoted, but they drag others through the process for optics sake.

      Advice to Management

      Reorganizations seem to happen too often. Can we create a structure that is more fluid and requires less reorganizations to occur?

    2. "My experience has allowed me to interact with students at all grade levels."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Substitute Teacher in Washington, DC
      Current Employee - Substitute Teacher in Washington, DC
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at DC Public Schools full-time (More than 8 years)

      Pros

      I've obtained educational knowledge, growth and development and skills while working at different schools and working with different grades levels of students.

      Cons

      No being able to advance into a permanent career after showing much dedication to the school(s) that I have taken on long term assignments with.

      Advice to Management

      During the school year, substitute teachers should considered or informed about available positions in the school.

      3. Join the DC Public Schools team
      See Our Latest Jobs

    3. "teacher"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend

      I have been working at DC Public Schools full-time

      Pros

      Dcps has great pay and benefits

      Cons

      The evaluation system brings teachers to tears.

    4. "DCPS"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend

      I have been working at DC Public Schools full-time

      Pros

      Great benefits
      Great pay
      Professional developments
      Paid time off

      Cons

      Lack professionalism. Doesn't support staff. Business practices are unethical

    5. "Good Mission With A Side of Office Politics"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at DC Public Schools full-time

      Pros

      innovative work place deeply connected to race and equity issues for DC youth

      Cons

      Lots of interoffice politics at play

    6. "Great Secondary Science support -- horrific everything else support"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - High School Science Teacher in Washington, DC
      Former Employee - High School Science Teacher in Washington, DC
      Doesn't Recommend
      Neutral Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at DC Public Schools full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      The central office science team are wonderful people to work with and make science teachers feel truly involved in decision making and curriculum development

      Cons

      the general administration are out of touch and frequently employ sweeping top-down requirements that seem incredibly out of touch with actual best practice

      Advice to Management

      spend more time in classrooms

    7. "ELA Teacher Middle School"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at DC Public Schools full-time

      Pros

      Kids can be great, hard working teachers,

      Cons

      Administration doesn't always have a clear vision for the school.

      Advice to Management

      More planning time.

    8. "Coach"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at DC Public Schools full-time

      Pros

      Great career advancement in education

      Cons

      Impact can be very unforgiving

    9. "Cons ultimately outweigh the pros, but not for awhile at least..."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at DC Public Schools full-time

      Pros

      Largely passionate workforce both at Central and in schools; many talented, smart employees; good pay; flexible schedule (dependent upon position).

      For the first year or two, I think the pros outweigh the cons.

      Cons

      Things are rolled out too quickly for schools to keep up, not enough collaboration across central office, too many cooks in the kitchen (too many higher ups think they deserve input on every decision even if it's not close to relevant to their content area), very reactive rather than proactive, few/no PD opportunities for Central Office staff, constant reorgs, getting promoted is about who you know rather than your expertise.

      Ultimately, both the politics and reactive nature of an extremely bureaucratic organization drags you down. It doesn't help to be under a constant microscope from the outside.

      Advice to Management

      True 360 Performance Reviews. That will help folks up top hold middle management accountable.

    10. "Bloated Central Office"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at DC Public Schools full-time

      Pros

      Pay, and met great people

      Cons

      To many people not working with children making big bucks. Central office is to bloated and many of the decision makers spent very little time in the classroom. Impact is also a joke and used very subjectively.

      Advice to Management

      Hire people who actually wan to teach and engage with children not sit in the office sending and reading emails. So the community you care by moving out of a downtown office which costs big bucks and use the empty school buildings as your offices and spend the money you save on children. Mayoral control has been a big joke

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