Duane A. Joseph Sr.

Duane A. Joseph Sr. is the CEO and founder of MaranathaEd Prep LLC, a premier test preparation company established in 2012. MaranathaEd Prep currently operates in six locations nationwide, delivering all instruction online via Zoom to provide students with flexible, high-quality academic support regardless of location. In 2014, Joseph launched The Joseph Family Foundation to support inner-city youth, families, and educators by providing accessible test prep services and helping teachers offset the cost of classroom supplies.

Widely known as an educator’s educator, Joseph brings over two and a half decades of experience in education, consistently serving both students and teachers with excellence. His passion for learning and teaching began early in his career and remains the driving force behind his work. Intentional in every endeavor, Joseph is deeply respected by colleagues, students, and families for his authenticity, discipline, and heart for service.

Before founding MaranathaEd Prep, Joseph served as an Academic Coach for the Kauffman Scholars Program at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City from 2008 to 2012. Joseph is the author of two test prep manuals: Rule the Kingdom of ACT and Rule the Kingdom of ACT. His book "Protect The Brand" will be out in November 2025.

“Students learn best when they have the most enthusiastic, engaged teachers possible,” Joseph often says. He is a strong advocate for high-quality tutoring and believes teaching is more than a profession—it is a calling. His guiding philosophy is simple yet profound: “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Joseph manages MaranathaEd Prep in a more hands-off, strategic capacity, taking on a few students per test while allowing his team of trusted educators to lead the day-to-day operations while he continues to focus on vision, growth, and impact.

MaranathaEd Prep’s Journey

Welcome to MaranathaEd Prep! Founded in September 2012, our journey began long before that, rooted in the passion to empower students through education. Inspired by my brilliant daughter, Maranatha Joy Joseph, I transitioned from being a classroom teacher in Florida, Louisiana, and Missouri to creating a tailored test prep program. With years of experience, especially in SAT and ACT preparation, our mission is to equip students with the tools they need to succeed in their academic endeavors.

In 2006, after Hurricane Katrina, I took on the role of a math teacher at H.L. Bourgeois High School in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. One day, my principal presented me with a challenge: to help our students prepare for the ACT without the budget for outside resources. After dedicating two and a half months to researching and developing a program, I introduced strategies that transformed the performance of 20 students with scores 18 and under. Remarkably, 15 scored between 22 and 25, while the other 5 achieved scores ranging from 27 to 30, confirming that I had created an amazing program.

This program would sit for 6 years before I would dust it off and begin MaranathaEd Prep focusing on ACT Prep and Math Tutoring. Four years into owning MaranathaEd Prep, I started the SAT program in Seattle and shut down the Math Tutoring side, trained and hired new staff and focused on our unique S-K-P Model (Strategies - Knowledge - Practice) that transformed our approach, leading to impressive outcomes for our students. With locations in Kansas City, Seattle, Omaha, Lincoln, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and online options available, we ensure that quality test prep is accessible to everyone. Call us today for a free consultation at 816.366.PREP (7737) and discover how we can help your student achieve their goals!

Adisim Sarris

"We had both of our daughters go through the MaranathaEd Program and they both improved their ACT scores double digits from their initial attempt prior to the program. Our eldest daughter ended up into the school she had hoped for, but wasn't sure she would. Our second daughter is still a Senior but was accepted to all the schools she has applied to so far. We were very pleased with the progress they made and the results of this program."

Terry Petersen

"Our daughter received digital SAT prep from two local companies in Austin with little movement in the areas of Reading & Writing and Mathematics. We found MaranathaEd through a friend whose son worked with Mr. Joseph and his team and got into Texas A&M his dream school. Let me tell you that our daughter worked with MaranathaEd and jumped 185 points in Reading & Writing and 165 points in Math. Anchi is phenomenal in Math and Mr. Joseph knows his stuff and he's hilarious. I would sit and listen to his strategies along with his humor and just laugh. Thank you for helping our daughter get a 1490 on the digital SAT and into UCLA "

Tiffany Barnes

“My experience with MaranathaEd was everything I paid for and much more. Duane delivered. My son's score improved multiple points, he gained an understanding of "how to take the ACT,"and he also gained a great mentor. As a student at Blue Valley North we thought he already had access to the best resources, but Duane proved to be the real gem. Full academic scholarship secured.

If you are looking to actually improve your child's score and skills, this service is well worth the investment”