2023 Annual Report

Growing Think Together’s reach in order to impact more students has long been a hallmark of Think Together’s history. However, the magnitude of our expansion this year is truly remarkable. The opportunity to scale our impact has never been greater, and we are committed to making the most of it.

Coming out of the pandemic, the students we serve face more obstacles than ever before. We are seeing more behavioral problems due to mental health challenges and the lack of social development during the pandemic. Academic performance across the country has dropped to levels not seen in 30 years. Our students need us now more than ever.

In the wake of this crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom and the State Legislature created the Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELO-P) to enable universal access to afterschool and summer programs for vulnerable students from transitional kindergarten through Grade 6. This increased the state investment from roughly $800 million per year to $4.8 billion per year.

While Think Together was fortunate to have built the largest infrastructure in the state supporting expanded learning over the past 15 years, it is still no match for the task of implementing at a universal access scale. We are in the midst of a multi-year growth cycle. In fiscal year 2023, we grew by more than 70%. Since fiscal year 2021, the organization has tripled in size. Despite this growth, many high-potential students and mission-critical programs are dependent on investments from the private sector to support innovation, the next generation of college students, and our future workforce. It takes a village.

I want to express my deepest gratitude for the dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to our village: our school partners, policy partners, private funding partners, volunteers including our Board of Directors, and our amazing staff. Together, we can make a greater impact than we could ever have imagined just a few years ago. Thank you for joining us on this incredible journey!

As we close out another year, Think Together finds itself on the verge of a significant milestone: serving more than 2 million students through expanded learning and school improvement since our inception. It’s a goal that embodies unshakeable dedication to closing the achievement gap and providing exceptional educational opportunities to students of all backgrounds.

Our vision encompasses a holistic approach to education, starting with early learning programs that lay the foundation for future success. From there, our K–8 STEM, arts, sports, and enrichment programs spark curiosity and creativity in young minds. And for our high school students, we are committed to preparing them for their future through college and career readiness initiatives. We wrap these student programs in a data-driven, equity-based school improvement approach with teachers and education leaders that closes the achievement gap that has persisted far too long in our society.

However, our journey isn’t solely about numbers; it’s about cultivating stronger partnerships with the communities we serve. It’s about innovative collaborations that prioritize the success of our students, which amplify our impact and create opportunities that extend well beyond the classroom.

As we continue on this journey together, I want to express my deep appreciation for our board members, donors, school partners, and community leaders. With their steadfast support and belief in our mission, we have already changed the odds for 2 million students over 25 years, and we can look to impacting 2 million more in the years to come.

I am proud to serve as chair of the board during this transformative moment in Think Together’s history as we scale our growth to provide even more students with enriching opportunities to achieve their greatness.