All middle and high school students in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS) now have the ability to connect with a live tutor using the Internet. The School System, using $434,160.00 from the American Recovery and Reinvest Act (ARRA) stimulus money, has partnered with Tutor.com in providing one-to-one, online tutoring and homework help for middle and high school students taking Algebra I,  Algebra II and Geometry.

This program, which is available through September 2011, will give more than 6,000 local students access to on-demand help from a “live” algebra tutor or geometry tutor from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. 

Mathematic teachers attended after-school professional development training for Tutor.com the week of August 16.  Information was sent home with students beginning the week of August 23, and reminders of this free program will be available during upcoming school open houses.

Students began using the program August 19. As of September 1, more than 400 students have participated in a one-to-one tutoring session.

If a student has difficulty with Math homework, is studying for an exam or simply didn’t understand the day’s lesson, he or she can go online and connect with a tutor for personalized assistance without an appointment.  The online tutor works one on one with the student in real-time, using an interactive electronic whiteboard that includes drag-and-drop tools to make Math sessions efficient and effective. Monthly reports are shared with EBRPSS to help identify where students are struggling and to document the skills they are mastering.

"Tutor.com provides an opportunity for our students to receive additional help in their studies," said East Baton Rouge Parish School System Superintendent John Dilworth. "This tutoring service is designed to reinforce instruction taught in Math classes. It also gives students a chance to seek assistance in a private, on-line setting, when they might otherwise be hesitant to ask for help in their daily classes. In addition, some of our parents/guardians can access the tutorial in order to refresh their math skills so they can also be of support.”