IMPACT REPORT 2024
Empowering students with greater choices after high school.
Life-Changing Opportunities for Every Student
CollegeSpring provides in-school test prep for students impacted by poverty to help them pursue greater options after high school.
The act of studying, learning, and practicing for tests not only builds students’ confidence and a growth mindset, it also strengthens their math and English skills for success beyond high school.
Who We Serve
95% identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
80% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch
76% are first in their family to go to college
What We’re Made Of
CollegeSpring is one of the few women of color-led national non-profits, reflecting the diversity of our students. We draw from our own experiences as first-generation college students to advance our mission.
Susan
Board Chair
From our start as an after-school tutoring program in 2008 to today, these key milestones helped us evolve into a more sustainable organization that serves more students than ever.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LAST FIVE YEARS:
President
CEO
Arely
Chief Operating Officer
2020
Adapting to the needs of the pandemic, CollegeSpring converts to a fully virtual model.
CollegeSpring launches its first district partnership with Detroit Public Schools Community District, which continues to grow today.
2021
CollegeSpring implements its first Learning Management System (LMS) to enhance data analysis and align with the new digital format of tests.
2022
CollegeSpring expands to Texas and pilots its programs in Dallas and Houston.
2023
CollegeSpring launches its new suite of programs: digital SAT®, ACT®, and TSIA2 (Texas Success Initiative Assessment).
2024
CollegeSpring implements a hybrid model with fully virtual lessons and in-person school support.
Goss Brown
Dr. Paula Gama Garcia
Dr. Yoon S. Choi
Benavides
Our Biggest Year Yet
We’re projected to serve 5x as many students in less than five years.
We expanded our reach to 13 states
We introduced new, data-rich, and adaptive technology
We launched new tools to prepare for the digital SAT®, ACT®, and TSIA2 tests
We’re on track to lower the cost of helping each student by ~70%
We partner with districts and schools to reach students impacted by poverty
CollegeSpring Students Contracted
(Last Four Years + ‘24-’25 Projection)
Ready for Success
We more than doubled the number of CollegeSpring students meeting the SAT® readiness benchmarks in one year. By helping more students reach these benchmarks, we’re helping them unlock life-changing opportunities.
Increasing College & Career Readiness Benchmark Attainment
SY21–22
SY22–23
CollegeSpring builds readiness.
What Readiness Means
Our program helps students get ready for more than just a test; it reinforces foundational academic skills so that our teachers and students get more support in class and hit key milestones.
Readiness means students are prepared for the rigor of college, career, and life.
“I feel like test-taking is something that you’re going to do everywhere–in your classes and in your career. Test-taking helps you pursue higher education because you educate yourself better by knowing how to do well on tests. CollegeSpring prepared me for tests, and that can go with me for the rest of my years.”
Giselle Ibarra Student, North Houston Early College High School
CollegeSpring students increased their test confidence by 20%.
On average, CollegeSpring students increase their SAT® score by nearly 100 points.
100 more points has the potential to change trajectories:
BEFORE COLLEGESPRING: AFTER COLLEGESPRING:
100+ POINTS
Acceptance into a more competitive program
Less remediation in college, more time for core classes
More likely to earn a higher education degree
More scholarship money, less debt
This is How it Happens
Thousands of students engage with our proven curriculum that improves the core English and math skills needed for college or career and prepares students for the SAT®, ACT®, TSIA2, and life after high school.
CollegeSpring’s team of educators work with teachers and administrators to tailor solutions and ensure effective implementation.
UNLOCKED OPPORTUNITIES
STUDENT OUTCOMES
IN-CLASSROOM LEARNING
EQUIP AND EMPOWER DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS
We partner with districts and schools to embed our SAT®, ACT®, and TSIA2 programs into math and English core courses across all grade levels, starting as early as 9th grade.
Teachers, who students already know and trust, deliver our program’s quality curriculum during the school day via our Learning Management System (LMS). Along with building core skills, students simulate the test-taking experience through practice problems and tests.
Test Confidence
Students strengthen their foundational knowledge in English, math, and writing, gain test-taking and goal setting skills, and build confidence with practice exams to perform their best on gateway tests.
Higher Test Scores
Students see measurable improvements on their SAT®, ACT®, and TSIA2 scores, driven by targeted instruction in critical subject areas and consistent practice with realworld test scenarios.
By increasing their academic skills, scores, and test confidence, students unlock greater college and career opportunities.
We build relationships at all levels, from the superintendent and administration to principals and teachers, and districts get the data they need to measure their students’ readiness.
We increase teachers’ capacity through robust lesson plans, data-driven analytics for differentiated instruction, and 1:1 training and support.
Better Overall Academic Achievement
Through stronger skills in math and English, students not only excel on tests but also experience lasting academic growth that supports success in all subject areas.
With stronger skills, higher scores, and increased test confidence, they are able to access more selective colleges, scholarships, dual enrollment courses, and avoid costly remedial courses. These opportunities can be life-changing.
More Than A Score
Meet Joshua, a CollegeSpring student whose journey exemplifies the power of preparation and confidence.
Before joining CollegeSpring, Joshua struggled with test anxiety and self-doubt. By building his foundational skills and test knowledge through the CollegeSpring program, he improved his test score by more than 200 points and gained the confidence to pursue a degree from a top university in Texas.
“CollegeSpring has helped me understand what colleges look for with the SAT®. Now that I’ve taken the test and got a score that I wanted, thanks to CollegeSpring, I now feel more confident about getting into those harder schools that I never thought I’d get into.”
Joshua Young Student, North Houston Early College High School
Increased score more than 200 points on the SAT® with CollegeSpring
We Trust In Teachers
The key to the success of our program is that students work with their teachers who they already know and trust, maximizing learning during school hours.
Teachers and administrators collaborate with CollegeSpring’s Partner Success Team, who helps with training, implementation, execution, and ongoing professional development.
CollegeSpring’s programs empower teachers by equipping them with the curriculum, data analysis, and instructional strategies they need to effectively support their students.
“CollegeSpring provides access to robust, detailed data on student performance in real-time, allowing teachers to quickly identify students’ growth areas and modify their instruction accordingly. Students receive holistic preparation for succeeding in an evaluative setting.”
Mitch Morkin Director of Advanced Academic Services, Dallas ISD
Teachers who engage with CollegeSpring report increased confidence in their ability to prepare students for tests and overall academic success.
Deep in the Heart of Texas
CollegeSpring helps schools and districts meet state level student readiness benchmarks.
House Bill 3 in Texas provides schools with $3,000-$5,000 in bonus funds for each College, Career, and Military Ready (CCMR) student. CollegeSpring partners with nine districts in Texas to improve their student test scores and access this critical funding.
Alief Independent School District in Houston is a prime example of how strategic collaborations can lead to significant, lasting impact. Through a generous $750,000 grant from the Powell Foundation, they are implementing CollegeSpring at a reduced cost, transforming their culture of student readiness and increasing their ability to unlock more than $10M in state funding.
Improved academic skills, higher test scores, and increased student confidence will benefit students, schools, and their communities.
YEAR 0 YEAR 2 Higher academic outcomes supported by CollegeSpring
Grant received from Powell Foundation Potential CCMR bonus funds to unlock for the district through increased test scores
$750,000
MILLION+ Alief Independent School District
Detroit Public Schools
Community District
Success That Scales
CollegeSpring’s influence extends beyond individual students—it impacts entire school systems.
By forming partnerships with districts, we drive substantial improvements in student outcomes that empower schools to secure critical funding.
Since 2020, Detroit Public Schools Community District has turned to CollegeSpring to provide essential support for SAT® preparation, teacher training, and instructional coaching. Alleviating pandemic learning recovery challenges, students use CollegeSpring to meet state standards and graduation requirements for Michigan.
Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) Results:
• Contract renewal each year despite budget cuts
• Serving 24 high schools across the district
• Expanded to five regional district and school partners
• On average, DPSCD students improved their SAT® scores by 103 points
“When it comes to being an essential partner in providing direct-to-school, teacher implementation support of our SAT®-aligned curriculum or engaging in problem-solving and adapting to changing conditions impacting instruction and SAT® preparation for our students as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been few partners that have been more willing to serve than CollegeSpring!”
Leenet Campbell-Williams Assistant Superintendent, DPSCD
Our Future Looks Bright
The team at CollegeSpring is already hard at work on new initiatives that will expand opportunities and impact for the students and schools we serve. Your support directly contributes to a stronger academic foundation, higher test scores, greater college and career opportunities, and brighter futures for students who are affected by poverty.
Invest in Our Mission
With your support, we can empower more students for college and career success and create a more equitable education landscape.
Rural Reach
In rural parts of the US, not only are the schools under-resourced, but the students lack the support and guidance to pursue different options after high school. We are launching in rural communities in South Texas and Mississippi to provide quality test preparation for students and empower them with more choices after they graduate.
Early Start
Recognizing that foundational skills need to be reinforced as early as possible, CollegeSpring will embed its program in core English and math courses as early as 9th grade, while also continuing to serve all grade levels. These early interventions will help lead to even better results.
“Decades of working with companies all over the world has taught me how to spot a critical inflection point. This is CollegeSpring’s moment of lift-off. Your support will take them–and the students they serve– to the next level.”
Fred Crawford
CollegeSpring Board Member Partner and Managing Director, AlixPartners
The Power of Multiple Choices
We’re proud of what our small but mighty team has accomplished. Despite the increased skepticism about the value of college and misconceptions about standardized testing, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a solution for an unmet need. Millions of students across the United States are required to take standardized tests as part of their state or high school graduation requirements. They are not optional. To tell them, their parents, and teachers that tests don’t matter is an injustice.
After all, every student should be entitled to reinforce and practice math and English skills so that they can succeed on a test.
Some call it ‘test prep;’ we call it justice.
We are now poised to serve 25,000 students across 13 states by 2025.
We are helping districts unlock millions of dollars in state funding.
Students improved their SAT® scores by 100 points, on average.
We’re improving readiness for life after high school.
We’re empowering students with greater choices for both college and careers.
CollegeSpring believes in the power of multiple choices; we believe that all students deserve the opportunity to have multiple pathways, and that all pathways are made smooth by a strong foundation of academic skills and confidence.
This work is made possible because of generous contributions from supporters, the tireless efforts of teachers, and the persistence of students. We’re incredibly proud of the progress so far and energized by the journey ahead.
With gratitude,
Susan Goss Brown, Board Chair
Yoon S. Choi, Ph.D.. CEO
Recognizing Our Supporters
We extend our deepest gratitude to the donors, partners, and supporters who have made CollegeSpring’s success possible. Your contributions have empowered us to continue our mission and make a lasting impact on students and schools nationwide.
Leading Institutional Funders Board of Directors
Susan Goss Brown, Chair Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
William Acevedo Remedy Place
Christine Alix Alix Foundation
Fred Crawford AlixPartners
Alex Farman-Farmaian Edgewood Management
Joel Jones 01 Advisors
Aaron Lemon-Strauss Stride, Inc.
Munyette Moore International Scholarship and Tuition Services
Lindsay Page, Ph.D. Brown University
Todd Penner
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
Yoon S. Choi CollegeSpring
Tom Friel Board Member Emeritus
Garrett Neiman Co-Founder and Board Member Emeritus
Mindy Rogers Board Member Emeritus
data in the 2024 Impact Report reflects School Year 2022-2023. Photos include CollegeSpring teachers and students from North Houston Early College High School and Vanguard Academy Rembrandt Secondary.