Improving educational outcomes begins with something basic: keeping young people in school, not in the juvenile justice system. And that means addressing the things that cause them to drop out in the first place: chronic truancy, suspension, and school disengagement. Access Youth tackles all of these. At eight public schools, full-time, on-site program managers build trusting relationships with students, meeting them at moments of crisis or when early warning signs of school disengagement arise. Beginning as early as 6th grade, this seven-year continuum of support provides students with opportunities and incentives, such as coaching and personalized goal-setting, through high school graduation. Rooted in trust, student voice, conflict resolution, and mediation — not punishment — the program will serve 900 students this year, decreasing behavior issues, boosting attendance, increasing school engagement, cultivating a sense of belonging, improving performance, and creating better outcomes for kids.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 2

Where They Operate: DC-Citywide; DC-Ward 7; DC-Ward 8

Age Groups Served: Youth (5-11); Pre-teen/teen (12-17)

Population(s) Served: Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Men/Boys; Women/Girls; Students

Schools They Work In: DC Public Schools; Ballou High School; Anacostia High School; Eastern High School; H.D. Woodson High School; Johnson Middle School; Kramer Middle School


  • Number of youth served since our founding in 2009:   1800
  • Percent of students who avoided suspension post referral in 2015:   85%
  • Percent of youth who avoid re-arrest post referral:   75%
  • Percent of students who avoided court referral for truancy in 2015:   70%

Awards & Recognition

In 2016 Access Youth was awarded the highly competitive Deputy Mayor for Education's Dropout Prevention Grant that provided one time funds of $170,000 to address high school Truancy.

Press

Budget (FY2026)

  • $3 million or higher
  • The current budget for Access Youth is: $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

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