This report describes the District of Columbia Public Schools education plan for the school years 1988-92. It includes information on the planning process and the goals and constraints which determined the final shape of the plan. The report also contains the following: (1) a description of employment trends which will influence the skills children must learn; (2) results of the needs assessment survey which provided the school system with information necessary to prepare the plan and which gave a special insight to the areas of greatest need in the school system; (3) five-year plans and goals for the office of the superintendent, office of the deputy superintendent, office of instruction, and office of management services; (4) description of 11 special emphasis programs for instructional, staff, and management improvement; (5) an overview description of the plan components, monitoring system, and end-of-year reports; and (6) an appendix describing the status of achievement of the superintendent's objectives for the school years 1983-87. Numerous data tables are included throughout the document. (PS)