Start with the goal

Write down one or two goals before you call anyone: catching up in reading, getting ready for a harder math course, a better routine for middle school homework, or keeping skills up over the summer. The goal decides almost everything else: the subject, how often to meet (how often a child should see a tutor), and whether a center, an online platform or a private tutor fits best (centers compared with private tutors).

In Conejo Valley Unified, a goal for middle school math starts with how CVUSD places 6th graders in math. The page on K–8 tutoring in Thousand Oaks lists each of the city's public elementary and middle schools, with the district's dates.

Questions about the tutor

Ask Why it matters
Who will teach my child, and will it be the same person every time? Research summaries on tutoring point to consistent tutor-student pairings, which build the relationship that helps motivation and learning (NSSA toolkit)
What's your training, and do you hold a California teaching credential? You can check a credential yourself on the state's public search; see how to check a teaching credential
Which background check have you had, who ran it, and when? A credential requires fingerprint clearance through the California Department of Justice and the FBI when it's issued (CL-900); other tutors may have had a different check, or none (background checks guide)
How many students like mine have you taught, at this grade and in this subject? Teaching a 1st grader to read and coaching an 8th grader through Algebra 1 are different jobs

Not every tutor is a teacher. One local agency, for example, publishes different hourly rates for high school student tutors, college students, college graduates and credentialed teachers (Conejo Valley Tutor). Any of these can be the right fit, as long as you know which you're paying for.

Questions about the terms

  • Price: per session, per hour or per month? Are there registration, materials or travel fees?
  • Session length and group size: how long, and one-on-one or a group? See small-group or one-on-one tutoring.
  • Commitment: is there a minimum, such as a monthly membership or a 6-month plan?
  • Cancellation: how much notice to cancel or reschedule one session, and what happens with less? The local agency above, for example, says cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice can be charged the full session.
  • Where: at home, online, a center or a library? Who needs to be present?

Get the terms in writing before the first paid session. Published prices from local providers are compared in what tutoring costs in Thousand Oaks.

Questions about safety

  • Will an adult need to be home? Where in the house will sessions happen?
  • For online sessions: is the camera on, and is an adult nearby?
  • Are sessions ever recorded? If so, who keeps the recordings?

What you can verify yourself:

  • A teaching credential, on the Commission on Teacher Credentialing's public search, which also shows whether discipline has been sustained (CTC FAQs).
  • The state's Megan's Law website, run by the California Department of Justice. It doesn't list every registrant, and using its information for anything other than protecting a person at risk can bring criminal prosecution and civil liability (Megan's Law).

What you can't ask for: a copy of the tutor's criminal record. California Penal Code section 11125 says "No person or agency shall require or request another person to furnish a copy of a record or notification that a record exists or does not exist" (§11125).

Questions about progress

  • How will you measure where my child starts, and how will you show progress?
  • How often will I hear from you, and in what form?
  • What will we do if it isn't working after a few weeks?

A one-page checklist

  • [ ] The goal, written down
  • [ ] Who teaches, and the same person each time
  • [ ] Credential or training, checked where it can be
  • [ ] Which background check, who ran it, and when
  • [ ] Price per session with all fees, in writing
  • [ ] Session length, group size and location
  • [ ] Cancellation notice and any minimum commitment
  • [ ] Safety rules for in-home and online sessions
  • [ ] How progress will be shown, and how often

Questions parents ask when choosing

What questions should I ask a tutor before hiring?

Who will teach my child each time, and what is their training or credential? What background check have they had, and when? How long is a session, how many children are in it, and where does it happen? What does it cost with all fees, and what's the cancellation policy? How will I see progress?

Should a tutor have a teaching credential?

A credential shows teacher training and a state fingerprint clearance, and you can check it on the state's public credential search. Not every tutor has one: one local agency, for example, prices sessions by whether the tutor is a high school student, a college student, a graduate or a credentialed teacher. Ask, then verify.

Can I ask a tutor for a copy of their background check?

Not for a copy of a criminal record: California law says no person may require or request another person to furnish a copy of their record. Ask which check the tutor has had, who ran it and when, and verify what's public, such as a teaching credential.

Is a first assessment or trial session worth taking?

It's a low-cost way to see how the tutor works with your child before committing. Ask what you'll get from it, such as a written summary or a plan.

Sources