Why are Tutoring and Dyslexia Intervention so Expensive?

Chances are, if you clicked on this blog link, you have experienced sticker shock when searching for a qualified tutor for your student. You may be wondering, "Why is tutoring so expensive?"

The answer is simple: quality instruction and intervention require skilled professionals with extensive training and experience. Cheap instruction and intervention may not deliver the result you need.

In this blog, we will dive into what you are actually paying for when you hire a truly qualified individual to work with your student.

At the end of the blog, we will also share a huge hidden cost that could affect your family!

Who Can Become a Tutor?

Anyone can call themselves a tutor—but that doesn't mean they're qualified. Unfortunately, many individuals believe that subject matter expertise is enough to teach students, even those with learning challenges. Think of it like this: just because someone can swim doesn't mean they can teach swimming.

Unfortunately, this type of logic doesn't seem to carry over into tutoring.

What Qualifications Should I Look for When Hiring a Tutor?

If we are trying to avoid the "expert" Joe Schmo, who doesn't know anything about teaching and learning, how do we go about doing that?

First, a resume is something a tutor should offer without being asked. In your initial conversation, your potential tutor should clearly outline their teaching experience, subject matter education and experience, and other accomplishments or testimonials. You can often find this listed on their website or within their advertisement in advance, too. Degrees and experience are all qualifications that make a tutor more expensive. This is because they have spent years training and furthering their education to proficiently help your struggling student learn.

If a tutoring rate seems significantly less expensive when compared to others, this is a likely reason for that.

What Questions Should I ask When Hiring a Tutor?

During your first conversation with the prospective tutor, I would focus my questions on the tutor's abilities and strategies for building relationships with students. I would also ask them to share anecdotes and success stories from previous clients. Finally, I believe a qualified tutor will be able to clearly lay out details explaining what sets them apart from other tutors.

What Does an Effective Tutoring Session Look Like?

When observing a tutoring session, it’s important to feel welcome and encouraged to sit in, especially during the first session.

Note: Some students may work better without their parents present. Your tutor should communicate this as they build rapport with your child.

If a tutor resists having you watch the sessions, consider it a red flag.

So, what should you look for during a session?

1. Your Child’s Comfort

A key sign of effective tutoring is your child’s comfort level with the tutor. Great tutors understand that building relationships is essential for reducing anxiety and fostering motivation. You should see your tutor show genuine interest in your child's life, asking about their day, likes, and interests. While it may take time for your child to warm up, the tutor’s genuine concern for your child’s well-being should be clear.

2. Balanced Instruction

Your tutor should strike a balance between direct instruction and independent practice. A skilled tutor will teach a concept in different ways, guiding your child with less support over time to encourage confidence and independence in their work.

3. Engagement Through Activities

In subjects like reading and phonics, where the material can feel tedious, a good tutor keeps the session engaging with interactive activities. A well-prepared tutor will include various exercises to maintain your child's focus and interest, making learning enjoyable.

Behind the Scenes

Most tutors spend 45 to 60 minutes preparing individualized materials for each session. This preparation is reflected in the price, but it ensures a personalized approach that fosters real growth.

While it may seem simple, effective online tutoring takes years of experience and expertise. The skills and strategies that make a tutor successful require significant effort and investment, making the higher price point well worth it for your child’s development.

What Does an Effective Tutoring Session Look Like?

Documentation is an important part of effective tutoring. Not only is it important for the parents to have access to information about what was covered in a session, but it is also important for the tutor. It also allows them to track and target problem areas while they plan for future areas of focus that are particularly challenging for your student. This data that is gathered is also essential data for progress monitoring and tracking.

Additionally, in a situation where the child is on an IEP or 504 plan, this data could even be shared with the school.

Documentation that is thorough and informative is also something that comes with practice and experience.

I am sure you are seeing a theme here. It contributes to the tutor's worth.

Why is a Tutoring so Expensive?

So, let's break all this down into dollars

Session Fee: $75 per hour, 2 sessions per week = $150 per week

• Accounting and Expense Tracking: 10 minutes per week
• Acquiring business licensure and insurance:1 minute per week/60 minutes per year
• Maintaining licensure: 1 minute per week/60 minutes per year
• Professional Development: 3 minutes per week/3 hours per year minimum
• Marketing: 60 minutes per week
• Initial and Ongoing Family Consultation: 15 minutes per week
• Lesson Prep: 120 minutes per week/per student
• Actual Lesson: 120 minutes per week/per student
• Documentation: 20 minutes per week
• *Benefit of virtual services: No travel time! Freebie!*

Total work time per week, per student - 5.8 hours
$150 / 5.8 hours = roughly $25 per hour

Yes, you read that correctly.

If a tutor is charging $75 per session, and takes their business seriously enough to do all the aforementioned things, they are actually only making $25 per hour.

It is important to understand all the behind-the-scenes effort and education that goes into an effective lesson that is delivered by a qualified and certified professional.

Also, keep in mind that these calculations only take into consideration the time spent on tasks. It does not account for the monetary investment that tutors make in their supplies, training, software, and technology.

What is the Hidden Cost of Not Investing in Quality Intervention?

We deeply understand that investing in private intervention is a financial sacrifice for families. We understand the frustration and fear that constantly simmers below the surface and in your gut when schools aren't doing enough to support your child.

But here is where we want to ask you to trust your gut and pursue private intervention. When students do not receive quality intervention delivered by certified professionals, they are at increased risk of becoming part of these percentages

• 75% of children whose help is delayed to age nine or later continue to struggle through school (Vellutino et al 1996)
• 80% of students who are struggling to read at the end of first grade continue to be struggling readers in fourth grade (Sparks, Patton, & Murdoch 2014)
• 54% of US adults 16- to 74 years old lack proficiency in literacy and read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level (US Department of Education)

This doesn't just mean they struggle to read and spell. They struggle with self-image and self-worth. They wonder if their difficulty reading and writing somehow means they are not smart or capable of contributing to the world.

They lose interest in becoming doctors, astronauts, veterinarians, or paleontologists not because they grow up, but because they begin to realize the reality of all that school.

This means they struggle to compete academically with their college entrance exams or when writing personal essays for scholarships.

This means that they work at least twice as hard to keep up with peers at school and then their colleagues in the workplace.

Is Private Tutoring Worth the Cost?

Yes, private tutoring is expensive, but when weighed against the emotional and educational burden carried by our students, it is worth every penny. Quality online tutoring and dyslexia intervention provide the support your child needs to succeed in school and beyond.

Looking for personalized guidance? Connect with an LD expert today and take the first step toward effective, personalized intervention.