How does the ACCESS Academies program work?

In many cases, the struggling schools that ACCESS supports are among the few anchors in the neighborhood or community.  Their presence is essential to the long-term viability of the neighborhood.  For these schools, ACCESS provides three forms of assistance:

1. Financial – ACCESS provides “jump start” funding for the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades based on a 5-year plan; will fund 100% of the unfunded cost of educating free/reduced lunch eligible students attending the academy.
2. Accreditation -  ACCESS serves as an accrediting body, helping the school to improve the educational product in the middle grades by creating an academy within the school using the NativityMiguel education model; implements the NativityMiguel education model by promulgating national NativityMiguel standards and offering advisory assistance to comply with these standards.
3. Recruitment of “Sustainers” – ACCESS recruits corporations, high schools, universities, foundations and individuals that will commit to assisting a school over the long term with the same kind of financial and organizational assistance that ACCESS provides.