Video courtesy of Stone Soup Films.
From conception to design and execution, our programs are deeply rooted in restorative justice and committed to equity.
Students who are referred to Access Youth through our Truancy Prevention program focus on increasing their In-Seat Attendance (ISA) rate and improving their academic performance.
In tandem with our Truancy Prevention program, our Restorative Justice in Schools program works to reduce suspension and promote positive behavior change by providing early interventions to reduce the common misbehaviors that lead to suspension and arrest: fighting, bullying, and threats. Program Managers and students collaborate––encouraging students’ own agency in their lives––to develop manageable plans that include one-on-one or group coaching and life skills instructions.
Every student receives support from our full-time, on-site Program Managers. These Program Managers implement our four-pronged model of student empowerment to provide students the support they need to increase their attendance and develop the socio-emotional skills they need to avoid re-suspension and improve their academic performance.
As a result of both of these programs, students who would typically be pushed out of school instead are empowered to take ownership of their actions and develop positive socio-emotional and decision-making skills that will stay with them the rest of their lives.
OUR RESULTS
In 2022, we collaborated with John Daniels & Associates to conduct a wide-ranging comparative study of our outcomes for a 3-year period, and the initial results are amazing.
Our students have on average, compared with their peers not involved in our programming:
- 15% higher in-seat attendance rates
- 12% higher promotion rates
- 18% reductions in unexcused absence rates
- 98% of our students avoided suspension for the initial incidents that brought them to our program
- 82% avoided subsequent suspensions for relevant infractions