As K-12 students around California return to in-person learning this fall, many educators and families worry about students’ progress in the classroom. A recent survey from the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that 83% of public school parents in the state say children are falling behind academically during the pandemic.
Students might find themselves in need of additional academic support, but the price tag for tutoring is out of reach for many families. Fortunately, free tutoring is available to Bay Area students.
Check Your School
The simplest place to find free tutoring for your child might be their school. Many schools have partnerships and programs available for kids in need. However, these services often need to be initiated by a teacher, so reach out to your child’s teacher about options.
At Oakland Unified School District, the nonprofit Oakland Public Education Fund offers free, weekly, one-on-one tutoring. Families can ask teachers to nominate a student for this program. To learn more about this program or to become a volunteer, visit oaklandedfund.org.
Check Your Library
Cardholders at Oakland, San Jose, and Santa Clara public libraries get free access to Tutor.com. The site, which is run by The Princeton Review, connects students to certified tutors online.
Cardholders can find many other free, educational resources through the Oakland Public Library and San Jose Public Library.
Free Online Tutoring
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Oakland Public Library Director Jamie Turbak highlighted two online resources:
- Pandemic Professors: A nonprofit created by U.C. Berkeley graduates in 2020. It pairs volunteers with students for free online tutoring.
- Khan Academy: A Bay Area-based nonprofit. It offers free instructional videos and exercises for a variety of students, from Pre-K to AP Calculus.
Local Nonprofits
Nonprofits near you might also offer help for K-12 students and parents. The Oakland nonprofit Children Rising, for example, has begun offering free online tutoring in reading and math for Oakland students.
Supporting Our Schools
NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48 are Supporting Our Schools by working with Family Giving Tree and Comcast to help collect supplies and funds that will help students and teachers in need.
>> DONATE: Build a backpack online through our Virtual Giving Tree
The 22 Comcast Xfinity stores around the Bay Area will serve as backpack collection sites. Click here to see a list of Comcast Xfinity stores near you.
