Is your student struggling with online learning? Fresno schools add helpful new feature
Fresno schools recently unveiled a new tool that will help students with their academics.
The district partnered with the Princeton Review to make available Tutor.com, a 24-hour tutoring service Fresno Unified’s 73,000 students can use for free.
The service offers trained and certified tutors across 120 subjects around the clock.
Parents and students interested in using the service can access it directly through their Clever account at go.fresnounified.org/clever. Once a student clicks on the “get a tutor now” button, they select their subject level and will be matched up with a tutor.
The service could be particularly useful as students continue to navigate the uncharted waters of distance learning. Teachers who previously spoke to The Bee feared some students were already “falling behind,” just weeks into the new school year.
The pandemic has forced schools to change to a one-to-one system. All students have access to technology tools, and the district has been working to provide internet access. Additionally, the district has been looking into providing its own broadband for Fresno Unified students.
Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Superintendent Bob Nelson said the tool should help students get one-on-one attention in key subjects and encourage enrollment in advance placement classes.
“If this helps one family get their head around having that kid take an AP class, which they might not have taken otherwise because they didn’t think they were going to get the support, then that makes it worthwhile,” Nelson said.
Carlos Castillo, the district’s instructional superintendent, said the program offers “robust AP preparation” that should prepare students for college.
The program was piloted in 14 Fresno Unified schools. Tutoring is offered in English and Spanish, and the district is looking into providing tutoring in Hmong. The program also offers SAT and ACT preparation.
“This provides at least a level of support to our families to say ‘alright, we’ll give this a shot. I may not be able to help you with all the homework, but I know somebody that can.’ If that moves one family in that direction, then that cuts the bridge of inequities,” Nelson said.
The district hopes to continue the program beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is something Princeton Review has been doing for a while,” Castillo said. “We hope to bring this into a long-lasting partnership that can benefit our students in the future.”
The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Read more from The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 5:00 AM.