DCPS has consistently dedicated substantial resources to prepare students for life after high school. Despite these efforts, many DCPS graduates face challenges in navigating the academic and structural aspects of college, resulting in low success rates in students persisting through and completing their college education.  

To address this issue, DCPS Persists was launched in 2020 representing the first college persistence initiative led by an urban school district. Funded by the DC Public Education Fund, with a generous investment from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, DCPS Persists embodies a collaborative effort to provide essential support and resources for students pursuing higher education and academic success.  

With a primary mission to implement systems that ensure student preparedness and enhance college enrollment and graduation rates among DCPS graduates, the DCPS Persists program has played a pivotal role in turning college dreams into reality for countless students, transforming the educational landscape of the nation’s capital.