The administration of the District of Columbia Public Schools has developed a plan for coping with the issues of the 1985-86 school year and achieving long range objectives for the period 1983-87. An outline of the 29 steps of the planning process explaining the input of each relevant division and office, togetyher with a timelines chart, is provided. Promoting a viable and comprehensive instructional program for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade will require progress in the following priority areas: instruction, management, planning, quality assurance, resource development, and relations with the community and the Board of Education. Each of those areas has been analyzed and divided into steps called achievement indicators. Responsibility for each indicator is assigned to an appropriate office within the governing structure. Charts are included which illustrate how far each office has come towards fulfilling the relevant goals. The district will emphasize progress in such areas as: 1) attendance improvement; 2) educational technology; 3) automation of key management functions; 4) mathematics and science instruction; 5) gifted and talented education; 6) foreign language instruction; 7) guidance and counseling; and 8) enhanced secondary school instruction. Monetary and professional incentives, training courses and mentor programs are among the measures designed to improve the quality of instruction overall. (PS)