Tomberg Family Philanthropies

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Funding Area: Education

The American Career College Educational Foundation (ACCEF) exists to illuminate educational pathways for underserved populations across Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino Counties. Our mission centers on empowering individuals seeking higher education, enhanced career prospects, and personal development through accessible, no-cost educational opportunities. Our High School Equivalency (HSE) Academy serves individuals aged 17 and older through a distinctive holistic approach that addresses academic proficiency and the complex financial and socio-emotional challenges that often impede educational advancement. 

Annually, the HSE Academy provides over 1,000 low- and extremely low-income Southern California residents with 8-10 hours per week of free in-class GED preparation, payment of all test-taking fees, and ongoing whole-person support during their time in the program.

Projects We Support

The Justice Impacted Youth Program – 2025 Grant

Support from the Tomberg Family Philanthropies will enable the expansion of our innovative Justice-Impacted youth programming initiative, extending specialized services through established partnerships with the Friendly Center and Sunburst Youth Academy. This expansion will broaden our geographical footprint to include Orange, Buena Park, and Los Alamitos—increasing access points for this particularly vulnerable demographic. impact in our Southern California low- and extremely low-income communities. In our established programming, we have an over 90% pass rate, far exceeding that of the statewide pass rate. Furthermore, our recent exit survey showed that 19% of our graduates secured employment, 8% received a promotion, 63% went on to a non-profit college, and 27% went on to a career technical education or vocational institution. Given the correlation between obtaining a secondary education and reduced recidivism rates, our program will dramatically impact the lives of justice-impacted youth by addressing this root cause.

Justice-Involved Youth Program – 2026 Grant

ACCEF’s Justice Involved Youth (JIY) Program helps justice-involved youth pass the GED exam to obtain a high school equivalency (HSE) certificate. The program adapts to our highly successful and well-funded flagship High School Equivalency (HSE) Academy model that has helped thousands of students aged 17 and older earn an HSE certificate since it was established in 2012. The program tailors ACCEF’s HSE Academy to meet the unique needs of JIY. The JIY Program provides in-person instruction with restorative practices, tutoring, and emotional support. Students utilize the I-XL adaptive learning software, which provides a personalized learning experience and tracks progress to ensure academic mastery. Instruction, in English and Spanish, includes academic guidance from bilingual Tutor Mentors, alumni of the HSE Academy.

Given the significant impact of the JIY program, introduced last year, and the need for innovative educational measures for justice-impacted individuals, the program will be expanded to Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. The JIY program employs a culturally relevant pedagogy utilizing restorative practices, peer mentors, and academic instruction in core subjects such as English, math, and social sciences. Classes take place four days a week for two hours per day. Students will also have opportunities to help inform the curriculum and provide feedback on the overall project design through exit surveys.

Support Dates: March, 2025 – Ongoing

Organization and Project Photos

Note: This information was provided by The American Career College Educational Foundation.

The photos are © Copyright by The American Career College Educational Foundation. All rights reserved.