As the semester progresses and students familiarize themselves with the ups and downs of a new school year, they begin to realize the importance of one integral learning tool in particular: ACCESS.

An approximate half hour window after school between 2:48 to 3:15, ACCESS provides students with the opportunity and outlet to seek help from teachers or administrators.

In a survey of 339 students, 40.5 percent of students polled answered that they utilize ACCESS to make up missed work.

Whether you’re a student athlete, frequent traveler, or someone who inevitably misses school once in awhile, ACCESS is a crucial tool that allows students to stay caught up in all of their classes.

Moreover, in large and busy classroom settings, it can be hard for a student to find time to get tailored help for their specific questions.

24.2 percent of student claim they utilize ACCESS primarily to receive one on one help  with assignments and homework.

Additionally, teachers may request the presence of students at ACCESS who are not passing a class or failing to keep up with assignments or course load.

57.8 percent of students polled answered that ACCESS should be required when failing a class.

However, though ACCESS is offered to all who need it, and is sometimes even required, 69.6 percent of students confer that attending ACCESS is not always attainable with their after school schedule.

Those who are dependent on riding the buses and don’t have any other alternative transportation options must make an early exit in order to get a ride home.

Even though sports practices do not officially start until 3:30, 15 minutes after access ends, many student athletes must also leave access early in order to find time to change and be ready for practice by 3:30.

This raises the question of how attainable ACCESS truly is for every student.

Teacher Mary Imaz  believes that ACCESS is not truly an accessible program for every student.

“Even now it’s even more difficult because every Wednesday is a non-ACCESS day, when before we had at least two days… so I try to be available to my kids whenever I can.” Imaz said.

ACCESS  is a benefit to those who can attend,  however, other after school commitments and transportation, prove to create an issue.

A program the school district designed to serve the purpose of creating equal opportunity for every student falls short in benefiting a large part of the school population.

In order for access to truly be an instrumental tool of academic success, it needs to become more accessible to every student.

Otherwise it is only accessible to those who have access to their own forms of transportation or are not limited by after school commitments.