More than 80%. That’s how many young people in DC’s juvenile justice system have special education needs. But court-involved students with disabilities rarely receive the education to which they are legally entitled. Instead, without proper support, far too many students are pushed out of school and into the criminal legal system. Determined to change this trajectory, School Justice Project (SJP) champions the rights of these students. SJP is a DC-based special education legal services and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that older, court-involved students with disabilities receive a quality education, both during incarceration and throughout reentry. By integrating special education law into the juvenile and criminal court contexts, SJP works to build racial justice by increasing educational equity and decreasing the use of mass incarceration.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 1

Where They Operate: DC-Citywide

Age Groups Served: Young adult (18-24)

Population(s) Served: Individuals with Disabilities; Individuals who identify as LGBTQ; Individuals living with HIV/AIDs; Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Men/Boys; Women/Girls; Students


  • Number of clients we serve annually:   47
  • Number of hours of advocacy we engage in annually:   6000
  • % of clients re-enrolled in school after working with SJP:   98
  • % of clients engaged in the labor force:   89
  • Value of tuition funds and support services (tutoring, behavior support, evaluations and client assistance funds:   $500,000

Awards & Recognition

- 2013 Echoing Green and Open Society Foundations Black Male Achievement Fellowship

- 2014 Teach For America Social Innovation Award
- 2015 Aspen Institute's Urban Innovation Lab
- 2016 Aspen Scholar

Press

Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • $1 million to $3 million
  • The current budget for School Justice Project is: $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

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