The Steppingstone Foundation announced Wednesday it is launching The Steppingstone Academy Hartford.

The academy is being formed in conjunction with The Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation, which has recently partnered with Steppingstone.

This is The Steppingstone Foundation's third site; in 1999 the nonprofit, which was founded in 1990 and provides programs that prepare urban schoolchildren for college, launched a site in Philadelphia.

The Steppingstone Academy Hartford will work to support college access for underserved urban schoolchildren. To-date, over 450 students have been nominated by Hartford teachers and guidance counselors. Classes will be held in donated classroom space at Trinity College.

The joint venture, backed by Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez, focuses on ninth-grade placement at Hartford area college preparatory independent schools.

The foundation's ultimate goal is to support the Mayor's commitment to increase by 25 percent the number of Hartford students who attend four-year colleges.

Steppingstone's 2006 budget for Boston was $3.15 million; it serves over 850 students annually and has 33 full-time staff.

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