2025 Proved What’s Possible
At CollegeSpring, we believe numbers tell a powerful story and drive action. They motivate, signal excellence, and reflect what we expect of our students and ourselves. Each year, we set ambitious goals to arm more students and partners with the preparation that leads to higher scores and greater opportunities We are on a parallel path to push students and ourselves to unlock our highest potential
Behind every score is the preparation, persistence, and determination of students who have put in the work and built the foundation for school, career, and life. The confidence our students gain becomes the confidence we carry as an organization It reshapes what we believe is possible and fuels bolder goals and bigger dreams both for them and for us
Breaking our own records has unlocked a new level of confidence and shattered outdated assumptions of what’s possible.
Just one year ago, our baseline was serving 12,000 students annually. We set an ambitious goal to double that but ultimately surpassed it to serve 26,000 students across 12 states. We also set a new record for average point gains, helping students attain double-digit percentile growth Not only are our students beating old scores, they are outperforming students from similar demographics nationally.
OurLeaders
That’s why we have set our sights even higher in our latest five-year plan. Why not 250,000 students by 2030? Why can’t 200+ points be the norm? The future calls for bigger ambition - for our students and for CollegeSpring
-Dr. Yoon S. Choi, CEO
CollegeSpring is led by nationally recognized education leaders whose lived experience and professional expertise drive measureable, student-centered solutions.
Yoon S. Choi, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer
Paula Gama Garcia, Ed.D., President
Arely Benavides, Chief Operating Officer
Systemic Barriers Limit Student Opportunity
Only 1 in 5 high school students graduate prepared for college and career.
The majority of students are entering adulthood without the academic skills needed to succeed in postsecondary paths. Systemically, literacy and math scores continue to decline.
National scores are below pre-pandemic levels (2019) in ALL tested areas, including literacy rates dropping
NAEP 8th grade reading score drops, 2019-2024
Students In Low-Income Communities Start Further Behind
The burden doesn’t fall evenly: across the board, low-income students are more likely to fall behind on foundational skills in reading and math, skills that are essential for success in both college and career credentialing paths
Students from low-income communities start with greater skill deficits, making a steeper uphill climb to meet college and career readiness standards.
Why Does This Matter?
Benchmarks
The average economically disadvantaged student is more than one year behind their affluent peers in math.
NAEP 8th grade math scores, 2024
288 288Not economically disadvantaged
257 257 Economically disadvantaged
(National Center for Education Statistics)
When high school students meet readiness benchmarks, they begin to unlock: LONG-TERM: ECONOMIC MOBILITY
SHORT-TERM: PERSISTENCE
+22pts +22pts
+86% +86%
Typical earnings for bachelor’s degree holders are 86% higher than just a high school diploma. Students who meet college-readiness benchmarks have a 22 percentage-point higher likelihood of persisting beyond year 1 of college.
(Kirksey et al, 2026)
$1.2m $1.2m
Median lifetime earnings are $1.2 million higher for bachelor’s degree holders.
(US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
We Unlock Greater Postsecondary Options
We Intervene at the Gateway Moment
College and career readiness benchmarks are a critical turning point Students who meet SAT®, ACT®, and TSIA2 benchmarks are more likely to persist in college, complete a degree, or access dual credit, industry credentials, and higher-value career pathways. For our students, this moment can either open doors to upward mobility or reinforces long-term opportunity and earnings gaps.
CollegeSpring ensures this moment becomes a gateway to opportunity, empowering students with the readiness to succeed in college, career, and beyond.
OUR MODEL
We partner with districts to embed our SAT®, ACT®, and TSIA2 test prep programs into the school day, equipping teachers with the resources, data, and support they need.
STUDENT OUTCOMES
As a result, our students excel with:
Our programs drive measurable academic gains by strengthening foundational skills during the school day, delivered by the teachers students already know and trust.
Since 2008, CollegeSpring has prepared students for more than a test we prepare them for success in what comes next.
Our partner schools primarily serve students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, as measured by free or reduced price lunch eligibility (FRPL, <$57,720 for a family of 4)
Black or
Growth in Numbers + Growth in Impact
Across CollegeSpring’s SAT®, ACT®, and TSIA2 programs in 2024-25 , students achieved record score growth, doubled benchmark attainment, and built confidence that will carry them into higher education and beyond
Deepened Our Program Impact
Our ongoing programming in these states became stronger, more sustainble, and expanded across new counties
annual growth since 2020 5x 5x
new states served in 5 years +9 +9
137 137 SAT® Score Improvement
average point gain
16.7 16.7 ACT® Percentile Growth
percentile points, advancing students from the 32nd to nearly the 50th percentile
Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas
Unlocked New States
Our programs expanded to five new states, advancing our mission to serve 250,000 students by 2030.
Florida and Mississippi added in Spring 2025, D.C., Oklahoma, and Tennessee in Fall 2025
79% 79%
of CollegeSpring students in all programs increased their score from baseline to official
Expansion Built on Expertise
Everything’s Bigger in Texas, Including CollegeSpring
CollegeSpring’s expansion into Texas was driven by 2019 Texas House Bill 3, which incentivizes College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) By supporting students to meet CCMR benchmarks on tests, CollegeSpring helps districts unlock state Outcomes Bonus funds and create a sustainable revenue stream tied directly to student success.
We have built deep expertise in Texas that now bolsters our national expansion through an incentive-aligned model in new states.
SchoolYear24-25 Partnerships
Increased Scores = Increased Funding
By increasing students’ test scores, CollegeSpring helps districts and schools meet college readiness benchmarks that unlock significant CCMR Outcomes Bonus funds (2019 TX House Bill 3).
$5,000 $5,000
$3,000 $3,000 per low-income student who meets the criteria
per non-low-income student who meets the criteria
Edcouch-ElsaISD VanguardAcademy
SchoolYear25-26 Partnerships
Phaarr-SanJuan-AlamoISD RioHondoISD
Our Path to Expertise
We released our first version of the TSIA2 core curriculum and piloted with 9 districts We used insights to chart a path toward becoming the experts PILOT JULY ’23
We interviewed TX educators at all levels about the TSIA2. What we found: knowledge gaps among teachers, a lack of district strategy, and feelings of overwhelm
We heard a need for earlier intervention for 9th/10th students + Summer Bridge programming In response, we released a TSIA2 Boot Camp offering.
we
SAT SAT
CollegeSpring Students Outperform their National Demographic Peers on the SAT®
CollegeSpring students met benchmark on the SAT® at higher rates than African American, Hispanic, and low-income students nationally.
Students who meet both benchmarks are 2–3x more likely to persist through their second year of college
Students who meet benchmark on SAT® have a 75% chance of passing their first-semester creditbearing courses.
Percentage of students meeting college & career readiness benchmark in Math by demographics
CollegeSpring is Boosting the Lowest-Performing Demographics of Students to College-Ready Range
By moving students into the college-ready range, we position them to enroll at higher rates, avoid remediation, and persist in college—directly addressing one of the most biggest challenges in higher education equity.
Cristo Rey Network Partner in Focus
CollegeSpring has partnered with schools in the Cristo Rey Network since 2021,
“ ”
“As a teacher, CollegeSpring gives me the tools to reduce students’
anxiety, strengthen their growth mindset, and build real confidence."
Cristo Rey students who engaged in the CollegeSpring program demonstrated significant growth from PSAT® to the official Digital SAT® After one year, the percentage of students who met benchmark more than doubled in math and increased by 1.5x in reading/writing.
ACT ACT
Students Soar to ~50 Percentile on ACT® th
Students gained +1.3 ACT® points and +16.7 percentile points, jumping from the 317th percentile to the 48.3rd percentile
This improvement moves students from the bottom third into striking distance of the top half of ACT® test-takers nationwide.
Point gains show raw academic improvement, but percentile growth tells the bigger story - how students are performing compared to peers nationwide.
For students starting with lower scores, even modest point gains can translate into exceptional percentile leaps, signaling transformational progress.
studentsenrolled incollege immediately following graduation
CollegeSpring Students Enroll in Higher Education
PercentageofstudentsfromtheClassof2025whoenrolledina2 or4yearinstitutionpost-graduationbypartnersite.
College enrollment data from the CollegeSpring cohort at our three ACT® partner sites demonstrated high rates of postsecondary enrollment for our students
Nationally, only ~62% of students enroll in college following their high school graduation
CollegeSpring supported our partners with surpassing those outcomes--breaking barriers and increasing opportunities for our most marginalized students.
Vanguard Academy Partner in Focus
Partnering with CollegeSpring aligns perfectly with Vanguard Academy’s mission, helping our students build strong academic foundations and prepare for the challenges ahead. We’re proud to work with CollegeSpring to ensure that every student is ready for the future they deserve.
-Dr. Marisol Rocha, Superintendent
TSIA2 TSIA2
Why TSIA2 Matters
CollegeSpring prepares high schoolers for the TSIA2 so they can place into the right classes, saving time and money by avoiding unnecessary remedial courses.
The TSIA2 (Texas Success Initiative Assessment) evaluates high school students’ readiness for college-level reading, writing, and math to ensure appropriate course placement It’s Texas’ version of ACCUPLACER, measuring the same core skills used nationwide
Texas has one of the largest education systems in the country, and the TSIA2 helps shape how college readiness is defined nationally.
(Kirksey et al) of remedial math students never pass credit courses 89% 89% of remedial English students never pass credit courses 71% 71%
The Problem with Collegiate Remediation
Remedial classes are expensive but do not lead to credit, which increases debt for vulnerable students.
A 2026 study from Texas Tech University found that benchmark scores on the SAT®, ACT®, or TSIA2 were the best predictors of college enrollment and persistence.
While the statewide benchmark reflects performance across all students including higher-performing and underclassmen cohorts CollegeSpring students were predominantly remedial upperclassmen. Even so:
19% reached the English benchmark, nearly equal to the statewide rate of 21%.
26% reached the math benchmark, surpassing the statewide rate of 20%.
Given our starting point, these results represent significant progress toward closing readiness gaps
(Jaggars & Stacey, Columbia University, 2014)
Partner in Focus
Alief ISD
In a limited four-month pilot, CollegeSpring students moved from being significantly behind to surpassing their non-participating peers at Alief, even doubling the percentage of students who met benchmark on English Language Arts (ELA).
These early results signal strong initial impact, and as implementation deepens with greater fidelity, we expect student outcomes to accelerate even further.
We serve as the consul
We provide the TSIA2 readiness strategy and guidance most districts lack.
“ ”
The explanation really helped out. I got a visual representation of how I got it wrong, and then it showed me how to do it. From there, I learned from my mistakes, so I won’t make the same mistake twice.
-Isaac Etuk, Student Alief ISD Houston, Texas
% of students at Alief who met benchmark on TSIA2 compared to state averages
Building on Student Growth Momentum
This is our moment to scale, and we’re seizing it. The momentum built over the past decade is propelling us into the next. We grew 5x between 2020 and 2025, and have built a strategy to turn 5x growth into 10x by 2030
Expanding our program offerings and becoming regional experts has allowed us to grow 10x in the past 5 years, creating momentum for future expansion
Our Strategic Expansion is Taking Off
CollegeSpring will grow by 10x over the next five years to serve 250,000 students by 2030, ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the skills to excel after high school.
More than 2.6 million high school students across the country lack the resources to prepare for success on gateway tests By reaching just 10%, CollegeSpring will empower these students with more opportunity and build the foundation for nationwide postsecondary readiness
Strategic expansion into new states, paired with strong growth in current markets, will allow us to scale significantly in the next 5 years
It’s Our Moment to Scale
Greater Impact in a Sustainable Way
Serving more students allows us to deliver greater impact with increased cost efficiency, bolstering sustainability By 2030, we’ll achieve a model of 70% fee-for-service and 30% philanthropic support
Cost Per Student to Decrease Reducing our per student cost is a priority for financial sustainability
Investing in Student Potential
Top Funders
Board of Directors
Fred Crawford, Chair
Susan Goss Brown
Alex Farman-Farmaian
Joel Jones
Aaron Lemon-Strauss
Lindsay Page Munyette Moore
SOURCES
AssociationofPublicLand-GrantUniversities (2024,July31) Howdoesacollegedegree improvegraduates’employmentandearningspotential?
Jaggars,S,&Stacey,G W (2014) Whatweknowaboutdevelopmentaleducationoutcomes ColumbiaAcademicCommons(ColumbiaUniversity) Kirksey,J,Freeman,J,Edwards,W,Holzman,B,&Lee,H B (2026) Theunevenpromiseof readiness:Whichcollegeandcareerreadinessindicatorsactuallypredictsuccessafterhigh school?(TexasTechUniversity)
NationalCenterforEducationStatistics TheNation’sReportCard |NAEP https://ncesedgov/nationsreportcard; NationalCenterforEducationStatistics (nd-b) FastFacts:Immediatetransitiontocollege (51) https://ncesedgov/fastfacts/ Sander,E (2025,April7) AimingtoimproveSATscoresandcapturefundingbonuses,Alief ISDtakesanewapproach HoustonChronicle
