Mission

Vision

School communities where every youth is honored and self-determined.

Mission

We tackle complex problems that impact marginalized youth and the schools and systems that support them.

Background

Founded in 2008, SchoolTalk, Inc. is a District of Columbia-based nonprofit that supports the D.C. education community in collaboratively addressing complex challenges and creating practical solutions for assisting youth of all abilities to achieve success. SchoolTalk’s programs actively work to improve postsecondary outcomes for youth through both proactive initiatives—such as youth leadership and mentoring, skill-building, and workforce development—and direct intervention to resolve issues in productive ways, such as mediation and restorative justice. SchoolTalk has two key program areas: Inclusive Education and Restorative Justice.

InclusiveDC
SchoolTalk’s InclusiveDC initiative supports youth with disabilities and their peers in the D.C. schools, community organizations, and systems that serve them. InclusiveDC programs are focused on College and Career Readiness and Arts to Advocacy and designed to elevate youth voice and promote inclusion.
RestorativeDC
SchoolTalk's RestorativeDC initiative supports public and public charter schools in the District of Columbia in whole-school implementation of Restorative Justice practices and culture change. It does so through intensive, trauma-informed, collaborative, customized, onsite, and locally-based technical support in order to lower incidents of conflict and harm, reduce the use of suspensions and expulsions, increase school performance, and center the school community around relationships, inclusivity, and accountability.