Welcome to Step Up Tutoring! 

Thank you for joining our tutor community!

High-impact tutoring is one of the most effective education interventions ever studied—leading to significant improvements in student learning, with gains of up to an additional academic year. With your support, we’re bringing this opportunity to students who need it most. 

As a tutor, you'll not only help students improve their reading and math skills but also boost their confidence and foster lifelong positive learning habits. Along the way, you'll build meaningful relationships, have fun, and make a real, lasting impact.

This handbook is packed with valuable information to help you succeed. Use the clickable Table of Contents and search function to quickly find what you need. If you have any questions, reach out to us at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org—we’re always here to help.

Thank you for Stepping Up to support a student today. Let’s get started!

Sam Olivieri
CEO, Step Up Tutoring

Click here for a welcome video from Step Up CEO Sam Olivieri.

Tip: Click on a heading below or sAttendance and Communicationearch for a keyword or term by pressing Ctrl+F on Windows or Chromebook, or Command+F on Mac to jump to a section.

Organizational Overview

Our Students

Meet the Step Up Team

Step Up’s Core Values

Why High-Impact Tutoring

Tutor Policies and Procedures

Attendance and Communication

Getting Started

Onboarding Process

Getting Matched with a Student

Scheduling the First Session

Communicating with Families

Building a Positive Relationship

Tutoring Tools and Technology

Conducting Tutoring Sessions

Typical Session Structure

Math and Reading Overview

Step Up’s Tutor Quality Framework

Troubleshooting Common Questions

Links to Tutor Support Resources

Glossary of Key Terms

About Step Up Tutoring 

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Organizational Overview

Our Mission

Step Up Tutoring (“Step Up”) drives student success by providing virtual high-impact tutoring and mentorship to elementary and middle school students in under-resourced communities. We recruit and train mission-driven tutors to deliver personalized, one-on-one support– combining technology with individualized support to boost academic achievement, build positive habits, and foster meaningful relationships. 

Our Vision

We aim to mobilize a national tutoring corps of dedicated volunteers, college students, and high school students, serving the 15 million under-resourced students in the U.S. that are at risk of being left behind. Our aim is to ensure every young person receives the support they need to learn, grow, and pursue their dreams. 

Our Story

Step Up Tutoring was founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected students in under-resourced communities. Leveraging expanded broadband access and online learning tools, we partnered with Los Angeles Unified School District to provide frequent, one-on-one virtual tutoring and mentorship through trained volunteers.

Since then, Step Up has grown into a leading provider of virtual tutoring and mentorship for students across California and Arizona, through both volunteers and college students funded by Work-Study and scholarship programs.

Our Students

We partner with Title 1 schools (those serving mostly low-income families) to enroll students. Parents typically learn about Step Up through their school. Enrollment is simple, and tutoring is always free for families. We currently serve students in grades 2-8, offering tutoring in reading or math.

As part of the program, parents commit to:

• Ensuring their child attends tutoring sessions twice a week,
• Being present during sessions, and
• Staying in touch via text
• Ensuring their child has a laptop or tablet for tutoring. Most students use school-provided devices, although some use a personal device. 

Overall, our families deeply appreciate the program—Step Up has a 92% parent satisfaction rate, and 97% of students love working with their tutor. Your student is excited to meet you!

At-Home Tutoring

Step Up students receive their tutoring from home. In this program, you will coordinate session schedules directly with their parent/guardian. This makes it easier for you to tutor at the times that work with your schedule.

Meet the Step Up Team

👋Hi! Step Up is a non-profit run by a small but mighty team of former educators, engineers, and program specialists working virtually across the U.S. We're supported by an experienced Board of Directors and expert Advisors who guide our growth.

Who to Contact

Recruiting and Onboarding Team: We recruit and onboard thousands of tutors each year and support you as you get started. You may hear from us about recruitment events in your area—we love having tutors involved! Questions? Contact onboarding@stepuptutoring.org. 

Tutor Experience Team: Once onboarded, we’re your go-to team for ongoing support. Most answers can be found in this Tutor Handbook or in the Help Center on the Tutor Portal. Need more help? Contact tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org. 

School and Family Partnerships Team: We partner with schools to enroll students and support families throughout the process. Families can reach our bilingual support team at families@stepuptutoring.org or (310) 510-6335.

Product and Program Team: We manage everything related to the tutoring itself—from portals to curriculum and assessments—always striving to improve quality. Share feedback at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org and we’ll get it to the right place. 

Tech Team: We are constantly working to improve our technology, to ensure it is effective, reliable and easy to use for tutors and families. To report a tech issue, please fill out the Report a Bug form on your Tutor Portal. 

Step Up’s Core Values 

Our team and Board have adopted the following core values that guide our work: 

1. Believe in Student Potential: Every child has limitless potential. We exist to unlock opportunities and close educational opportunity gaps, ensuring all students have the resources to succeed.
2. Honor Relationships: Strong relationships change lives. We cultivate meaningful connections between students, their supporters, and our community to create a thriving environment.
3. Always Learning, Always Growing: We are passionate about education and continuous improvement. By embracing feedback, analyzing impact, and adapting quickly, we stay focused on our goals.
4. Step Up to the Challenge: Big challenges require bold action. We take initiative, embrace innovation, and build scalable solutions for lasting impact.
5. Better Together: Collaboration drives success. We value diverse perspectives, open dialogue, and mutual support to achieve our shared mission.

We encourage you, our tutors, to reflect on what these values mean to you. Feel free to reach out to our team if you’d like more information on how our core values drive our work.

Why High-Impact Tutoring

Not all tutoring is the same. Step Up provides high-impact tutoring, proven to be one of the most effective ways to drive learning gains (we love learning gains!).

What makes high-impact tutoring effective?

• 90+ minutes of tutoring per week (at least 45 minutes per session)
• Consistent, one-on-one sessions with a trained tutor (that’s you!)
• A high-quality, targeted curriculum (we’ve got you covered!)

We take these key elements and enhance them to create a formula for success:

Your role as a tutor is crucial in bringing these elements to life and helping students reach their full potential.

Tutor Policies and Procedures

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Attendance and Communication 

These policies outline our requirements for session frequency, scheduling, and communication protocols. 

Consistent tutoring is key to student success. As a Step Up tutor, I commit to the following: 

✅ Regular Attendance

• I will conduct two tutoring sessions per week, each lasting at least 45 minutes.
• I will maintain a consistent weekday schedule (Monday-Friday, between 2:30 PM–8 PM PT).
  • I understand that one session per week may take place on weekends if requested by the family, as long as it follows a consistent schedule and at least one other session happens on a weekday.
• I understand that if I miss two consecutive weeks without notifying Step Up, my student may be reassigned to a new tutor.

✅ Communication with Families

• I will introduce myself via text and schedule the first session within 24 hours of being matched.
• I will host the first session within 7 days of being matched.
  • If my student’s family does not respond or requests to delay tutoring, I will notify Step Up’s Tutor Experience Team immediately.
• I will proactively communicate about any schedule changes with my student’s family.
  • If I need to adjust my schedule, I will inform the family in advance and work to find a solution.
  • If my family requests a schedule change, I will do my best to accommodate within my availability.
• I will communicate with my student’s family only through the Step Up SMS text group and message center on the Tutor Portal.
• I will complete the Weekly Progress Update once per week for my student, providing parents with an update on what their child is working on in tutoring.  

✅ Session Protocols

• I will conduct all tutoring sessions using the Learning Portal.
• I will follow all tech guidelines, ensuring my video/audio is working, my Wi-Fi is strong, and my environment is quiet.
• I will use the Step Up curriculum and resources to create an engaging and productive experience.
• I will bring a positive attitude and make our sessions fun! 

By signing up as a tutor, I agree to follow these guidelines to provide the best possible experience for my student.

Thank you for your commitment to making a difference!

Requesting a Substitute Tutor

This policy outlines how you may request a substitute tutor if needed. 

If my student or I plan to miss only one session in a week, I will reach out to the student’s family to reschedule the session for another weekday or over the weekend.

If I need to take a planned absence of more than two consecutive sessions (one week of tutoring), I will:

1. Tutor for the first 2-3 weeks of tutoring to build a strong connection before requesting a sub. 
2. Communicate with my student’s family to determine if they prefer to pause tutoring or have a substitute during my absence.
3. Submit a substitute request using the substitute request form.
4. Email tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org to notify the Tutor Experience Team of my absence and confirm whether a substitute request has been submitted.

I understand that it is my responsibility to ensure proper communication with both the family and the Tutor Experience Team regarding my absence.

Reporting Student Concerns

This policy outlines the expected procedure in the unlikely event that you witness an unfortunate event if your student shares any concerning information with you. 

If I witness an incident or my student shares something inappropriate or concerning, I will immediately report it to the Tutor Experience Team at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org, who will handle the situation appropriately.

In my report, I will include:

• The date and time of the incident.
• A brief description of what happened. Include what type of incident occurred:
  • Violence
  • Abuse 
  • Threat to harm self / others
  • Harassment 
• Whether I witnessed the event or if it was shared by the student.
• Who was involved in the incident.
• The best way to reach me for follow-up if needed.

I understand that Step Up may need additional information and will be available to provide further details promptly.

Getting Started

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Onboarding Process

The first step to becoming a Step Up Tutor is to complete the onboarding process through the Onboarding Portal, which provides all necessary information. Here is an overview of what you will complete during your onboarding: 

Onboarding Checklist:

Sign the Waiver

Complete the Step Up Training

Complete the Background Check

Update your availability form

Getting Matched with a Student 

Once onboarding is completed, tutors will be placed on the list to be matched with a student. The timeline for matching depends on:

• Availability: Listing more available time slots helps with quicker matching.
• Language Skills: Students often request tutors who speak additional languages, especially Spanish. Tutors with Spanish proficiency may receive matches sooner.
• Student Demand: Students are enrolled continuously, with peak demand occurring from September to November and February to March.

Once matched, you will receive a text and an email with all the information about your new student.  Please be sure to read your match email carefully!  It includes important details for getting started smoothly. 

Scheduling the First Session

Once you get your match text and email, here’s what to do next to get started: 

Step 1: Log in to the Tutor Portal

Upon completing onboarding, you will receive login details for the Tutor Portal, which serves as the central hub for tutoring. You will see information about your matched student in your Tutor Portal. 

Step 2: Message your student’s parent

After receiving the match email and text, you will be added to a private group text message with the parent/guardian. All communication with your student’s parent/guardian will happen via this text thread or the message center on the Tutor Portal. 

• First, save the number as a new contact in your phone under the student/parent’s name with a note indicating they are your Step Up student. 
• Within 24 hours, text your student’s parent to introduce yourself as their Step Up Tutor and to confirm a schedule based on your mutual availability as provided in the match email. Be sure to say you are with Step Up Tutoring. Families may be unsure about unknown contacts. See the example language below. 

Step 3: Conduct Courteous Follow-ups as Needed 

If you don’t hear back from your student’s parent right away, please do not get discouraged. Families often have a lot on their plate and could use some friendly reminders. 

If no response is received: 

1. Send a follow-up text 24 hours after the first message.
2. If no response, send another follow-up text 24 hours later (48 hours after match email) 
3. If no response, call and leave a voicemail 24 hours later (72 hours after match email) (Note: your phone number will remain anonymous) 
4. Contact Tutor Support at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org if no response after 96 hours since the match email. 

Our admin team will also be sending a series of messages to the family within the first few days.

Step 4: Hold the First Session within 7 Days

Please aim to hold your first session within 7 days of being matched. If your parent asks to delay the start for any reason, notify Tutor Support at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org. 

Communicating with Families 

Maintaining regular communication with your student’s family is essential to success with tutoring. Clear, professional, and proactive communication helps build trust and ensures consistency.

Using Our Text System or Message Center

• Texts are automatically translated into the parent’s preferred language. Their responses will be translated into English. Use clear language to ensure accurate translation.
• The text group or message center on the Tutor Portal  will be used for all communication with the family.
• Messages are sent via a secure platform, meaning neither party will have direct access to each other’s phone number. Step Up staff have access to these messages, so we can help troubleshoot if any issue arises.
• The provided number can also be used to make phone calls, allowing direct communication with the parent.
• Photos can be sent via text, which is helpful if the student wants to share pictures of their homework or other materials.

Scheduling and Attendance

• Confirm a regular schedule to maintain consistency and momentum.
• Families are expected to attend two sessions per week. If a family requests fewer sessions, kindly explain that Step Up's program requires twice-weekly attendance. Occasional absences due to illness or conflicts are understandable, but maintaining the 2x/week commitment is essential for success.
• If rescheduling is necessary, communicate clearly and promptly.

Building a Positive Relationship

• Keep open lines of communication, particularly regarding scheduling and any questions on technology or tutoring access. 
• Use professional language, avoid abbreviations or acronyms, and ensure messages are clear and courteous.
• Be proactive and positive in communication to motivate the family and demonstrate your commitment.
• Clearly state that you are with Step Up Tutoring in your initial messages to help families recognize the text, which they will receive from an unknown number.

Sharing Student Progress

• Once a week, complete the brief Weekly Progress Update (can be found in the far left menu on the Tutor Portal) to summarize key accomplishments your student made in tutoring. This information will be automatically texted to your student’s parent/guardian—no need to send additional texts.

If a Family Stops Responding

• Follow up twice. Keep in mind that families may be balancing a lot and exercise both persistence and patience in trying to reach them. 
• If there is no response within 48 -72 hours after 3 attempts of outreach, contact Tutor Support at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org for assistance.
• If your student does not show up to 3 sessions in a row, please email Tutor Support at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org to be matched with a new student.

Staying Informed and Supported

Throughout your time as a tutor, you’ll receive regular communications from Step Up. Please read them carefully, as they contain important information to help you succeed in your tutoring journey.

What to Expect

• Tutor Portal Announcements: Read these updates every time you log in to stay informed.

• Action Items: When action is needed (e.g., administering a survey or assessment), an Action Item will appear in your Tutor Portal or Learning portal. These require prompt attention.

• Texts and Emails from the Tutor Experience Team: Important updates and reminders will be sent to both your Step Up email and personal email. Please respond within 24 business hours if a reply is requested.
• Responses to Your Inquiries: For any questions or issues, contact tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org. We strive to respond within 1 business day but response times may vary during high volume periods.

Thank you for maintaining effective communication with your student’s family and staying engaged with Step Up Tutoring!

Tutoring Tools and Technology

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Tutor Portal: Your One-Stop Shop

What is the Tutor Portal?

The Tutor Portal is a secure website site that will be your one-stop-shop for everything you need as a tutor, including:  

• Your student’s details, including their session login credentials in case you ever need to provide it to them 
• Your tutoring session link, which takes you directly to your tutoring session in the Learning Portal
• Announcements from Step Up (key information the Step Up team)
• Action Items (special tasks for tutors)
• Weekly Progress Update, to provide student progress updates to families
• Substitute Request Forms
• Form to Report a Tech Issue
• Comprehensive Help Center with FAQs
• Access to all training modules 
• Guidance and hours tracking forms for Work-Study and College Corps tutors  

Getting Support Through the Tutor Portal

• Read Help Center articles and use chatbot to find the most up-to-date information 
• Sign up for Office Hours to get live help
• Review Tutor Handbook

Accessing the Tutor Portal

• You will receive login credentials via email after completing onboarding.
• Access the Tutor Portal using the link provided in your email. 
• If you lose the link, visit stepuptutoring.org, click Sign In. Under “Already a Step Up Tutor” select Go to the Tutor Portal. 
• Sign in using your Step Up Tutoring email

Learning Portal: Your Virtual Classroom 

What is the Learning Portal?

The Learning Portal is the virtual classroom where all tutoring sessions are conducted.

Review Our Complete Learning Portal Guidance 

• Learning Portal Quick Start Guide: Step-by-step guide for getting started including screenshots 
• Learning Portal Tech Guide: Detailed guide on all Learning Portal features and key troubleshooting tips
• Video Tour: Three-minute video overview of the Learning Portal 
• Learning Portal section of the Help Center: All articles on the Help Center related to using the Learning Portal 

Accessing the Learning Portal 

• Login to the Tutor Portal (sign in instructions above). 
• Locate your student’s name and click the Start Meeting button. 

• A new window will open to the Learning Portal. You will be in the “Lobby.” 
  • Ensure that video and audio toggles are enabled. Allow access to camera and microphone when prompted by your browser.
  • Confirm your device’s camera, microphone, and speakers through the Devices drop-down. 
• Click Join to enter your session. 

**Try it out now by joining the test session room! 

How Your Student Accesses the Learning Portal 

Step Up provides the parent/guardian with a unique link to access the Learning Portal for their student’s specific session. 

If they cannot find the meeting link:  

1. Click View Student Details under your student’s name in the Tutor Portal. 
2. Copy and paste the Student Meeting Link and six-letter Tutoring Code into the text thread with the student’s parent/guardian. 

Important: Do not share your tutor meeting link with the family; they must use their unique student link.

Learning Portal Features 

All tutors are required to review the Learning Portal Tech Guide to fully understand its features and ensure an engaging and consistent tutoring experience for students. Key features of the Learning Portal include:

• Customization Tools: Adjust video settings and personal settings
• Collaboration Tools: Use the whiteboard, Cobrowser, and screen share to engage with students. Import PDFs for annotation
• Session Guides & Resources: Use the Session Guide for quick access to warm-up activities and your curriculum. 
• Communication Tools: Utilize the chat and emoji functions to enhance student interaction. 

Session Guide Panel and Library: Your Session Resources 

Session Guide 

At the top of the Learning Portal, you will find a link to your student’s Session Guide. The Session Guide provides an overview of the key steps in a typical Step Up Tutoring session. 

Watch this video on how access the guide:

1. Click the icon with 2 squares at the top of the portal to copy the link
2. Paste the link in the Cobrowser or a new tab on your browser
   1. Select floating video, open a whiteboard, Click on Library, and under Apps, select Cobrowser.  See more details in the Learning Portal Tech Guide.

It includes three main sections:

1. Warm-ups: Check-inactivities and discussion prompts to kick off your session.
2. Main Lesson: Access curriculum logins and helpful links.
3. Homework Help: Your student can show you their homework, or their parent can text you a picture of their homework so you can work on it together. 

Library

The Library contains essential tools such as access to the Cobrowser tool and program-specific resources to assist in tutoring sessions. 

To access the Library: 

1. Select Floating Video Mode 
2. Open a new Whiteboard Tab 
3. Click on Library (Rectangular icon on the top navigation bar of your Whiteboard) 
4. Explore multiple sections of the Library: 
   1. Apps – tools like Dice Game, Calculator, Shared Video, and Cobrowser 
   2. Organisation - resources uploaded by Step Up

Conducting Tutoring Sessions 

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Your Goals as a Tutor 

As a Step Up Tutor, your primary goals in working with your student are to:

1. Accelerate academic growth by delivering high-quality, personalized instruction in math or reading that meets your student’s unique learning needs.
2. Boost confidence by offering encouragement, celebrating achievements, and nurturing a growth mindset that empowers students to embrace challenges and persist through difficulties.
3. Foster a positive relationship by creating a fun, supportive learning environment that prioritizes your student’s interests and strengths.

Every student embarks on their tutoring journey with a unique set of skills and experiences. Whether they are close to grade level or need significant support, your role is to help them develop the skills, habits, and mindsets that will contribute to both their academic success and social-emotional well-being.

We measure students' progress through assessments. In the Reading program, you will administer periodic assessments to gauge progress, while in Math, assessments are embedded within the Eedi lessons. Additionally, you will administer periodic surveys to evaluate students' perceptions, confidence levels, and social-emotional learning skills.

This section provides essential guidance on conducting tutoring sessions with these goals in mind, ensuring a meaningful and impactful experience for your student.

Running Your Opening Lessons

To ensure a successful start, Step Up has developed pre-made presentations to guide your first and second tutoring sessions with a new student. These guides are tailored for different grade levels (Grades 2-4 and Grades 5+) and subjects (Reading and Math) to help you and your student start strong. Each slide deck contains material to cover in for both the first and second sessions. 

Objectives of the Opening Lessons

Your initial sessions will follow a slightly different format from typical tutoring sessions. During these sessions, you will:

• Establish a positive connection:
  • Build rapport through icebreaker activities and goal-setting conversations.
  • Begin getting to know your student and their interests.
• Engage with the student’s family:
  • If possible, connect with the parent/guardian to confirm logistics and gather their input on tutoring goals.
• Introduce tutoring structure and expectations:
  • Set clear guidelines and structure for future sessions.
  • Encourage students to set personal tutoring goals.
• Familiarize the student with the Learning Portal:
  • Guide them through navigation and introduce the math or reading curriculum.
  • Demonstrate how to use key tools within the platform.
• Administer baseline assessments:
  • Conduct an initial math or reading assessment to gauge the student’s current skill level.
  • Have the student complete a short survey to capture their perceptions and attitudes toward learning.
  • You will find the link to your student’s survey under your action items on the session guide during your first session.

Accessing the Opening Lessons

You will find the link to the appropriate Opening Lesson Slides under your action items on the session guide during your first session. Watch this video showing the steps on how to open them on the Cobrowser!

• Math Grades 2-4
• Math Grades 5+
• Literacy Grades 2-4
• Literacy Grades 5+

Typical Session Structure

Starting on your third session, you will follow a consistent general structure designed to maximize learning and engagement. Sessions should include: 

Check-ins with Your Student: Relationship Building and Growth Chats

The first few minutes of each session include time for a Check-In, which sets the tone for a positive experience, builds rapport, and helps students build social-emotional skills. 

Tutors should use their Check-In time in one of two ways: 

1. Play a warm-up game that helps to foster fun and relationship-building; or
2. Lead a “Growth Chat” to encourage student reflection and goal-setting

Check-in Option 1: Warm-up Games & Activities

In one session per week, choose an activity or game from the Warm-Ups section in the Session Guide. Let your student take the lead in picking an activity; mix it up and have fun. Examples include: 

• Two Truths and a Lie - classic icebreaker game to share fun facts about your life
• Weekend Drawings - use the drawing tool to draw something you did over the weekend and have the other person guess what it was. 
• Tutor Says- see this modified version of Simon says in action here

Check-in Option 2: Growth Chats

Once a week, use the Check-In time to facilitate a Growth Chat, a friendly, low-stakes discussion designed to foster positive mindsets and habits. Growth Chats encourage students to reflect, set goals, and take ownership of their learning journey.

How to Conduct a Growth Chat:

• Access the Growth Chat Activity, pinned at the top of the "Warm-up" section of your student’s session guide. 

• Engage in a collaborative conversation with your student using the provided guiding questions.
• Adapt the discussion to suit your student’s unique needs and interests.

Growth Chats Help Students:

• Set and pursue goals (building grit and perseverance).
• Understand and express emotions (enhancing emotional intelligence).
• Reflect on their impact on others (cultivating a sense of purpose).

Math and Reading Overview 

Step Up provides tutoring in math or reading to 2nd-8th graders. As a tutor, you will use our comprehensive, easy-to-use math and reading programs to conduct your tutoring lessons. Each of these programs support research-backed practices and have been tested at Step Up to drive high engagement and outcomes for students. 

• You will be trained to tutor in both subjects, but will focus on one at a time - either math or reading - with each student. If you support several students, you may be tutoring some in reading and some in math. 
• In your Match Email, you will be notified which subject your student will work on.
• If your student requests to change subjects, that is OK. Contact the Tutor Experience Team at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org for next steps.

Math Program: Eedi Curriculum 

If you are tutoring your student in math, you will use an online program called Eedi to guide and deliver tutoring. Eedi is a fun and engaging program that is easy for you and your student to follow. 

Key Features of Eedi

• Personalized lessons based on an initial assessment to identify skill gaps.
• Interactive lessons with instant feedback, video lessons and explanations, and progress tracking. 
• Gamified experience where students earn coins and customize their avatar as they progress. 

How to Access Eedi

1. From the Session Guide, click on "Main Lesson."
2. Use your student’s login credentials to log into the Eedi platform into your student’s account.
3. Share your screen with your student using the Cobrowser tool (in the Library - see Learning Portal Tech Guide for details) and launch your lessons. 

Eedi Resources

To see an example of a tutor using Eedi, watch this video: 

• Eedi Example

Try Eedi for Yourself!

Go to https://www.Eedi.com

Login as a student with the below demo credentials:

1. Username: stepuptraining1
2. Password: welcometutors

Additional Notes on Using Eedi

• Student Assessment: Each student completes an initial diagnostic assessment that determines their proficiency level and creates a customized learning pathway.
• Practice and Engagement: Eedi lessons include real-time feedback, interactive exercises, and progress tracking to keep students engaged and on track.
• Manually Selecting Eedi Lessons: If you find the lessons in your student’s Topic list are too easy or hard, you can also manually select lessons: Browse through lessons by grade level & aligned Common Core standard CLICK HERE 
  • Pull up your desired lesson by entering the name in the Search Bar under Topics. 
• If you would like to preview any lesson to see the questions and answers before your session: check out the Quiz Browser.

Reading Program

ROAR Assessment

Literacy students begin their reading journey by taking the ROAR Assessment, an online platform for assessing foundational literacy skills. Watch this video to learn about the different reading assessments your student may take.

How to access the ROAR assessment:

1. Find the to ROAR login information under “Action Item” on your Session Guide. 
2. Open the website on your own browser and then share your screen (Please DO NOT use the Cobrowser as it will not properly collect results. And remember not to coach or provide answers!)
3. Click Continue on to accept the terms of the Assent pop up.
4. Find the assigned ROAR assessments on your student’s dashboard. 

UFLI Foundations foundational literacy 

Step Up’s Reading Program utilizes UFLI Foundations for students who place into the foundational literacy program. UFLI Foundations is rooted in the science of reading and provides explicit, systematic instruction targeting essential early reading skills. Each lesson includes a structured sequence of review, explicit instruction, and opportunities for students to practice and apply concepts through reading and writing activities. To further support student progress, tutors supplement lessons with UFLI-aligned decodable texts, many of which are AI-generated to feature high-interest topics personalized to each student, ensuring both engagement and skill development.

Placement Test

During your third reading lesson, you will administer the UFLI placement test to determine whether your student needs foundational support or if they should work on reading comprehension lessons. Please use these resources:

• Instructional video on how to administer the test
• Slide deck with the placement test
• Google Form to report to Step Up where your student ended on the assessment

From there, you can work on the recommended UFLI starting lesson or begin Readworks articles.

Key Features of UFLI

Each UFLI Lesson is broken into two tutoring sessions:

• Beginner students will complete both Day 1 and 2
• Advanced students will complete only Day 2 of each lesson

DAY ONE (~5 mins per step)

UFLI Lesson Steps 1-5: 

• Step 1: Phonemic Awareness
• Step 2: Visual Drill
• Step 3: Auditory Drill
• Step 4: Blending Drill (board or whiteboard)
• Step 5: New Concept

Reading Practice using a Project Read decodable passage 

Optional: Phonics game 

DAY TWO (~5 mins per step)

UFLI Lesson Steps 5-8:

• Step 5: New Concept (review what you did last time) 
• Step 6: Word Work
• Step 7: Irregular Words
• Step 8: Connected Text

Reading Practice using a UFLI decodable passage 

Optional: Phonics game

How to Access UFLI Lessons

Watch this video going through the following steps: 

1. Log into the Tutor Portal and open the Session Guide in the Cobrowser
2. Select the "Main Lesson" section and navigate to your student’s lesson number 
   1. If you don’t see it here, you can find the lessons in this Google Drive. Please emali us to update your student’s session guide.
3. Open the slides in the Cobrowser
4. Open the notes in a separate browser window so that you can see them side by side with the slides.
5. Begin your lesson!

Try It for Yourself!

Lesson 55: Slides and Notes

ReadWorks Curriculum 

We use  the ReadWorks curriculum for students who place into the reading comprehension program. ReadWorks is based on the science of reading and helps students to build critical strategic reading skills including building background knowledge, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Importantly, our program is designed to drive motivation to read by allowing students to select high-interest texts while building their reading skills. 

Key Features of ReadWorks

• An enormous library of reading passages aligned to grade-levels covering a wide range of topics. 
• Embedded exercises with every text including pre-reading activities, building background knowledge, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

How to Access ReadWorks

1. Log into the Tutor Portal and open the Session Guide in the Cobrowser
2. Select the "Main Lesson" section 
3. Under Reading Comprehension, click “Open Readworks” to login with your Step Up email
4. Navigate to the Content tab to open the library of articles
5. Select reading passages that align with student interests and learning levels.

Try It for Yourself!

1. Go to https://www.ReadWorks.org
2. Login in to an educator account

1. Use the credentials:
   1. email: contact@stepuptutoring.org
   2. password: Welcome123

Readworks Resources

To see an example of a tutor using Readworks, watch this video: 

• Readworks Example

Additional Note on Using ReadWorks

• Option for Listening and Reading Aloud: ReadWorks allows options for students to read aloud and listen to text. Try both options; audio options can be helpful particularly for multilingual learners.   
• Paired Texts: Readworks offers some articles in both English and Spanish which can also be helpful for native Spanish speakers.

Homework Help 

After completing your math or reading lesson, students have the opportunity to bring you their homework for help. 

• Ask your student if they have homework and have them show it on camera. Pro tip: ask their parent to text you a picture.

• Use the Whiteboard to work through assignments together.
  • Encouraging students to explain their understanding - it’s not just about getting the right answer! 
  • Providing visual aids and additional explanation can provide the extra scaffolding they need to understand key concepts. 

Why This is Important

• Helping students complete homework aids classroom performance and reinforces learning.
• By seeing their homework, you will get a better idea of what they are currently learning in class. This will also help you to make connections between their tutoring lessons and their classwork. 
• Supplemental activities can foster curiosity and build new skills.
• Watch this example of a tutor providing homework help to their student.

How to Wrap Up Your Sessions

As you wrap up your session, we encourage instilling routines of reflection and celebration. Here are some tips for closing a session successfully: 

• Call out something your student did really well in their session, using precise praise, focusing on effort rather than outcome.
• Try out the following prompts: 
  • What was one thing you really liked about your session? 
  • What was one thing you learned or are getting better at? 
  • What is one thing you want to work on next time? 
• Remind your student about the day and time of their next session to keep momentum going.

Completing the Weekly Progress Update 

The Weekly Progress Update is a brief form where you provide an update on what your student is doing in tutoring and to shout out their progress. This should take 1-2 minutes

• Once a week, fill out the Weekly Progress Update (located on the left navigation of the Tutor Portal). 
• Select your student from the drop down and answer the brief questions. 
• The content of this form is automatically sent to the student’s parent.

Why This is Important

• Keeping parents informed helps reinforce learning at home.
• Regular updates drive parental engagement and support for ongoing tutoring efforts.

Step Up’s Tutor Quality Framework

Guided by research, we use a 4-part framework for quality tutoring - these are practices that you can employ that we know will drive learning and growth. 

Relationships & Motivation

We know that stronger relationships drive stronger outcomes, and when students are comfortable sharing about themselves, they will feel more comfortable sharing when they get stuck.

Tutors build positive relationships by:

• Showing students they matter
• Challenging students
• Helping them reach their goals
• Giving students a say

Tutor can address disengaged students by:

• Reminding students of norms
• Setting short-term goals and rewards
• Trying a brain break
• Staying calm
• Validating emotions
• Offering support

Questioning Strategies & Student Talk

Tutors should ask effective questions to encourage inquiry and student contributions. There are 4 types of questions to ask:

1. Open-Ended Questions: encourage student thinking & contributions
   1. How did you get that answer?  
2. Clarification Questions: encourage students to go deeper in explaining their thinking
   1. Can you be more specific? 
3. Extension Questions: help students make connections or summarize their learning
   1. What similarities  or differences do you find between these? 
4. Critical Awareness Questions: encourage analysis and critical thinking
   1. What are some examples you can include?

Students do the majority of the talking. There are also 4 types of Talk Moves you can practice to prompt student responses:

1. Revoicing: The tutor repeats or paraphrases what a student said and asks for confirmation or clarification.
   1. “So you’re saying that the angle increases as the base gets longer — is that right?”
2. Reasoning: The tutor asks the student to apply reasoning to a new idea.
   1. “Do you agree or disagree with this example? Why?”
3. Wait Time: The tutor deliberately pauses to give students time to develop an answer.
   1. Silent pause after posing a question, or explicitly saying “Take a moment to think before answering.”
4. Prompting for Evidence or Reasoning: The tutor asks students to explain their reasoning or provide evidence for an answer.

   1. “What in the text makes you say that?”

       

Content & Pedagogy

Tutors will follow the recommended curriculum and utilize appropriate academic vocabulary and tools to reinforce understanding of content areas as a whole. 

Math

• Use academic language like “factor” and”equation”
• Using tools such as diagrams and other visual aids to make abstract ideas visual 
• Use math reasoning –  explaining why or drawing conclusions from specific examples or patterns

Literacy

• Practice reading skills such as summarizing, predicting, or inferring meaning from text.
• Follow the Five Pillars of Reading Instruction
  • Phonemic awareness: recognizing sounds
  • Phonics: connecting letters and sounds
  • Fluency: reading with speed, accuracy & expression
  • Vocabulary: knowing the meaning of words
  • Comprehension: comprehending, interpreting, and engaging with what is read

Feedback & Correction

Tutors treat errors as learning opportunities, feedback reflects high expectations & high support, fostering a growth mindset. 

Encouraging a Growth Mindset

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck introduced the concept of growth mindset, which focuses on emphasizing effort and learning rather than innate ability. The language you use can either encourage a fixed mindset ("You're so smart") or a growth mindset ("You’re learning so much").

Here are some examples of how to encourage a growth mindset:

By focusing on positivity and a growth mindset, you can create a supportive and empowering tutoring environment for your student. Keep in mind—you can embed these practices within your math and reading lessons, as well as in your Growth Chats—weekly conversations that reinforce goal setting and reflection. 

Providing Wise Feedback

What is “wise feedback”?

Wise feedback is a type of growth mindset intervention using “ladder statements.” It combines:

• High Standards: Communicates that work is being held to a high standard
• + Assurance of Ability: Explicitly affirms a belief that student can meet your high standard. 

Example of standard versus wise feedback:

• Standard: “That’s not the right answer”
• Wise: “You made a mistake in the second step, but that’s something I know you can fix. Let’s go back and check it together.”

Why does it matter? 

It has a significant positive impact on student effort, grades, and level of trust. 

Training and Additional Tips 

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Additional Free Training for High-Impact Tutors

If you're wondering, "I know how to communicate with my family and use the Tutor and Learning Portals, but how do I actually tutor my student?"—we’ve got you covered!

We’ve partnered with Arizona State University’s (ASU) Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation to develop training modules - called “nanocourses” - that equip you with strategies, tips, and resources to be an effective tutor 

This evidence-backed training—informed by research and designed with leading experts—will teach you how to:

• Build strong relationships with your student
• Engage students effectively
• Apply highly effective teaching practices in your tutoring 

Each nanocourse is available online on ASU’s Community Educator Hub (details below), is designed to take about 15 minutes to complete, and includes highly practical information including tips, resources and tools that you can implement in your tutoring. These courses are optional and freely available by registering with the code StepUpTutoring. 

Recommended Training 

How to Access the Training

The training is housed on ASU’s Community Educator Hub. You can view this video on how to register your account and begin the training: 

1. Create an account on ASU’s website
   • Go to the registration link
   • Enter your information for all the required fields or use Google Single Sign On (SSO).
     1. For the “code” field, make sure it says: StepUpTutoring
2. Click the link in the banner to open the Step Up landing page 
3. You will see two required bundles listed: 
   • Select Tutoring Foundations Bundle and enroll 
     1. Note: Why be a high-impact tutor? nanocourse is not required
   • Select Instructional Strategies Bundle and enroll
   • You can pause and restart the training as needed and ASU’s website will track your progress as you go. 
4. To take additional recommended courses, explore the courses available within the High-impact tutors section, including the elementary math tutoring courses, as well as the reading tutoring courses listed above. Enroll in any course at any time!  

Please contact tech support at MLFTCTechOps@asu.edu if you experience any issues logging into your account.

Troubleshooting Common Questions

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We understand that sometimes things come up and changes happen that impact your tutoring. That’s okay! 

First, if any issues arise, first please review the Help Center on the Tutor Portal. The Help Center includes instructions for the most frequently asked questions we get from tutors. You can navigate it by clicking to the appropriate section or asking your question in the search bar at the top. 

That said, here are suggestions related to common questions we hear from tutors: 

My Family is Not Responding

If your student’s family is not responding, don’t worry—there are a few steps you can take:

• Make sure you are still matched to the student. Check your students on your tutor dashboard and look for the student’s first name. 
• Consider communication challenges: It’s possible the parent may not understand the texts or is unable to respond due to unforeseen circumstances. Keep your communications simple. Try varying when you attempt to contact them, both in time of day, and day of week. You can also try a phone call using your unique match number. 
• Check for technical issues: Occasionally, an error in your communication channel can occur. If you didn’t receive a chat, or received one but the family has never engaged, this may be the case. Message tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org if you suspect this is happening. 
• Notify Tutor Support: After 3 unresponsive attempts or 3 no show sessions, let us know which student isn’t responding. 

Our Schedules No Longer Align

Life happens, and schedules can change! Here’s what to do if your availability no longer aligns with your student’s:

• Reach out to your family: Try messaging the parent to see if there’s another time that works for both of you. Note: you may hold one session on the weekend, if this works for both of you. 
• If that doesn’t work, notify the family: Let them know that the best way to move forward is to get a different tutor who will meet their schedule.

• Update your availability and desired number of students: Each tutor has a unique form where you can update this. You can find this at the top of your Tutor Portal by clicking Update Information. 

• Request a new match: If you’re unable to find a time that aligns, message tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org to be matched with a new student. Be sure to include the name of the student you need to drop. 

I Want to Add Another Student

That’s fantastic! We always have students eager to be matched with new tutors. Here’s how to proceed:

• Availability: If you already know your consistent availability, that is excellent! If you don’t, please allot time to map out your availability and update your availability form.
• Desired Number of Students: It’s helpful if you confirm how many students you want to meet with regularly.
• Contact Us: Message tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org to let them know you’d like to be paired with an additional student.

I Can No Longer Tutor

We completely understand that life can get busy. If other obligations make it difficult for you to continue tutoring, here are your options:

• Consider going on pause: This way, you can take a break and come back when your schedule allows.
• Message tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org: Let them know if you’d like to pause or stop tutoring altogether. Share the names of your current student(s) and the last date you’ll be tutoring with each of them. 
• Do not request a sub: We would rather you notify us so we can obtain a new permanent tutor for your student. This helps students meet with fewer total tutors and develop stronger relationships with each of them.

I Was on Pause as a Tutor and Want to Come Back

Welcome back—we’re thrilled you’re ready to tutor again! Here’s what to do:

• Message tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org: Let them know how many students you’d like to tutor, and they’ll get you set up.
• Update your availability: Request your personalized availability form link and update your availability and desired number of students. 
• Review resources: If it has been awhile since you tutored, some things may have changed! Save a few minutes for yourself to familiarize with our current communication tools, learning portal, and curriculum. 
• Attend a live training: Chat live with Step Up Tutoring representatives about our program, mission, how to start tutoring new students, and ask questions and get answers. 

Need More Help?

If you can’t find answers to your questions in this Handbook or in the Help Center on the Tutor Portal, please email us at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org. Our team is here to ensure you and your students have as smooth an experience with Step Up as possible!

Links to Tutor Support Resources  

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Tutor Portal Guide: An overview of your Tutor Portal which includes everything you need for tutoring: your student information, session links, announcements, action items, and resources.

Learning Portal Guide: Everything you need to know about the Learning Portal, the platform where tutoring sessions will take place.

Learning Portal Quick Start Guide: A step-by-step guide for getting started with screenshots.

Math Training Resources: A review of the Eedi training videos along with optional nanocourses on math content that will be covered in math sessions.

Reading Training Resources: Where you can find the ReadWorks training videos and supplemental nanocourses to support with Reading instruction.

ASU Tutor Training Nanocourses: Find all the information you need to know about the required and optional High-Impact Tutoring Nanocourses from ASU.

Help Center FAQs: If you have a question, look here first. These articles answer frequently asked questions from families, tutors, and school partners. 

Weekly Progress Update: Share a summary of your sessions, which will be automatically texted to your student’s family. 

Request a Sub Form: Please complete this form if you plan to miss two or more at-home tutoring sessions with your student. 

Fill in as a Sub Form: Sign up for extra tutoring hours as a substitute tutor here. 

If you still have questions or need assistance, please contact the Tutor Experience Team at tutorsupport@stepuptutoring.org.

Glossary of Key Terms 

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• Match: A tutor-student pairing. You will be “matched” with a student.
• Eedi: Step Up’s math curriculum.
  • Pronounced “E-D” (like the letter “E” and the letter “D”)
• ReadWorks: Step Up’s reading curriculum 
• Tutor Portal: This is your tutoring homebase. The Portal is a website that you can log into to access sessions, resources, and other materials for tutoring.
• Learning Portal: The video conferencing platform where tutoring happens
  • The video conferencing product is technically called “Lessonspace” but we refer to Step Up’s version of it as the “Learning Portal.”
• At-home Tutoring: Sessions that happen while students are at home after school in the afternoons and evenings. This is our most common tutoring option. 
• In-school Tutoring: Sessions that happen at set times during the school day. We’ll let you know if you’re tutoring a student during school hours. 
• Zendesk: This is the ticketing system we use to communicate with tutors and families. When you email or text the Step Up team, this is where they will respond. Please note, it takes 24-48 hours on average for a reply. There are also weekly office hours you can sign up for using your Tutor Portal. 
• Matchlink: This is our secure messaging system that you will use with your matched families so no personal contact info is shared between parties. A unique chat will be created for each matched student. Step Up staff can also send and review messages in this chat.
• Assessments: Math and Reading assessments that you may be asked to administer to your students periodically for measuring learning gains. 
• Learning Pathways: A list of math lessons in Eedi that will be created for your student based on the results of the starter quiz. These lessons will be based on topics where students need more practice. 
• Weekly Progress Update: Brief form you fill out on a weekly basis to share tutoring progress with your student’s parent/guardian. 
• First and Second Session Guides: Google slides you can use with your student to guide your first and second sessions. These include get-to-know-you activities, diagnostic quizzes and surveys, and introductions to the curriculum. Starting on your third session, you will use the standard session format as indicated in the Learning Portal. 
• Growth Chats: Weekly guided conversations that foster success habits, goal tracking, emotional intelligence, and a sense of purpose through collaborative and reflective discussions.
• ASU Tutor Training: Training courses developed by Step Up in partnership with ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. Also referred to as “Nanocourses.” 
  • Nanocourse: A brief course within the Tutor Training
  • Bundles: A set of nanocourses that go together (or are “bundled” together)