Tutoring Terms & Conditions

These terms are intended to support consistent instruction, clear expectations, and a positive tutoring relationship. By scheduling services with Growing Oaks, families agree to the following.

Key Policies at a Glance

Recurring schedule: Tutoring is generally scheduled at least once per week at the same recurring day and time.

Tutoring term transitions: Regular scheduling transition points occur in mid-December, mid-May, and mid-August. Recurring time slots continue automatically unless a family ends tutoring or requests a change.

Cancellations:

  • More than 24 hours’ notice: no fee

  • 2–24 hours’ notice: 50% fee

  • Less than 2 hours or no-show: full fee

Payment: Families must maintain a valid payment method on file. Current tutoring and assessment rates are listed on the booking page.

Scheduling & Attendance

Recurring schedule. Tutoring is generally scheduled at least once per week at the same recurring day and time. Consistent attendance is important; frequent absences, cancellations, or schedule disruptions may slow progress.

Tutoring terms. Recurring time slots continue automatically into the next tutoring term. Regular scheduling transition points occur in mid-December, mid-May, and mid-August.

  • Families may request a different recurring time based on availability.

  • Schedule-change requests are handled first come, first served.

  • Families planning to end tutoring at a transition point are asked to provide notice by November 20, April 20, or July 20, respectively.

  • Advance notice is expected for extended planned absences.

  • Extended or frequent absences may affect whether a recurring time slot can continue to be held.

Late arrivals and no-shows. Late arrivals do not extend the scheduled session. If a student has not arrived within 15 minutes of the start time, the appointment is considered a no-show and the tutor is no longer required to remain available.

Cancellations & Makeups

Cancellation fees are based on the amount of notice provided:

  • More than 24 hours: No fee

  • 2–24 hours: 50% of the scheduled fee

  • Less than 2 hours or no-show: Full scheduled fee

These terms apply to both tutoring and assessment appointments.

Exceptions. Growing Oaks may waive or reduce a cancellation fee for emergencies or unusual circumstances at the tutor’s discretion.

Makeups. When appropriate notice is provided, a makeup may be offered if another opening is available, but makeup sessions are not guaranteed.

If Growing Oaks cancels an appointment, the family will not be charged and a makeup will be offered when possible.

Payment & Rates

Payment method. Families must maintain a valid payment method on file. Charges are typically processed after an appointment but may be processed up to two hours before the scheduled start time.

Current rates. Tutoring and assessment rates are listed on the Growing Oaks booking page. Families will receive at least 30 days’ notice of any rate change. New rates will take effect at the beginning of the next tutoring term.

Unpaid balances. Tutoring may be paused for declined payments or unpaid balances. Repeated nonpayment may result in termination of services.

Prepaid appointments. If a prepaid appointment is canceled with more than 24 hours’ notice:

  • The payment remains as a credit toward a future appointment.

  • Credits do not expire while tutoring remains active.

  • When tutoring ends, unused prepaid funds will be refunded after outstanding charges are deducted.

Assessments & Progress

Purpose of assessment. Growing Oaks assessments are used to guide instruction and measure progress. They are not formal diagnostic evaluations and do not diagnose dyslexia or other learning disabilities.

When students are assessed. Students are typically assessed:

  • before instruction begins,

  • periodically during tutoring, and

  • when tutoring ends.

Additional reassessments may be completed when appropriate, including at parent request when sufficient instructional time has passed for the results to be meaningful.

Assessment appointments. Formal assessment appointments are billed at the current assessment rate and include scoring, review, progress comparison when applicable, and written or emailed reporting.

If an assessment cannot be completed during the appointment, remaining assessment activities may be completed during the next regular tutoring session at the regular tutoring rate without another assessment fee. If time remains after an assessment, instruction will continue.

The final scheduled tutoring session will ordinarily include an exit assessment when circumstances allow.

Progress. Student progress varies based on individual needs, attendance, instructional frequency, practice, and other factors. Growing Oaks cannot guarantee a specific rate of progress, grade-level gain, test score, or other academic outcome.

Session Expectations

Learning environment. Students should participate in a reasonably quiet, distraction-limited environment with required materials ready before the session begins.

Time spent locating, printing, gathering, or troubleshooting materials or equipment counts as session time, and appointments will not be extended.

If noise, interruptions, behavior, refusal to participate, or other distractions prevent instruction from reasonably continuing, the session may be ended and the full fee will still apply.

Between sessions. Regular reading outside tutoring is strongly recommended. Short practice activities may also be recommended between sessions.

Illness. Students who are sick or potentially contagious should not attend in-person tutoring. When practical, an in-person appointment may be moved online.

Online Tutoring

Camera and microphone. Online students must have a working camera and microphone, with the camera on during instruction.

Adult availability. A parent or other responsible adult should be reasonably available if assistance is needed but does not need to remain beside the student.

Technology responsibility. Families are responsible for having required technology and materials ready and for knowing how to use their equipment.

Family-side technology problems do not extend or credit a session and are subject to the normal cancellation policy if they prevent attendance.

If a technology problem on Growing Oaks’ end causes a significant loss of instructional time, the session may be partially discounted or waived.

Privacy, Student Information & Recordings

Student privacy. Growing Oaks will not share personally identifying student assessment results, progress information, or tutoring records with outside parties without parent or guardian permission.

De-identified information. Anonymized or de-identified student data, progress examples, assessment results, and work samples may be used for educational or marketing purposes when the student cannot reasonably be identified.

Use of a student’s name, photo, voice, video, testimonial, or other identifying information requires specific permission.

Session recordings. Growing Oaks may occasionally record sessions for internal professional development and instructional review.

  • Families may opt out at any time.

  • Recordings will not be shared without parent or guardian permission.

  • Families may not record or share tutoring sessions without prior permission from Growing Oaks.

Ending Services & Changes to Terms

Ending tutoring. There is no minimum tutoring commitment. Either the family or Growing Oaks may generally end tutoring with one week’s notice.

Growing Oaks may end services immediately for serious or repeated concerns such as nonpayment, no-shows, inappropriate behavior, or other circumstances that interfere with providing tutoring.

Changes to these terms. Growing Oaks may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time. Families will be notified of substantive changes affecting fees, scheduling, cancellation policies, or other important expectations.

Continued scheduling or attendance after such notice constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.