CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — As the school year approaches, some Midlands students will have another resource for success: Free 24/7 online tutoring for students. Students in Clarendon County can expect these resources starting in August.
"They can actually tailor the learning to the students’ needs,” Dr. Keisa Carr said.
Dr. Carr with Clarendon County School District says the district will be taking part in two new tutoring options for their students starting this school year.
“The entire platform is set up for all our students for free. However, through grant funding we have purchased the other piece of Varsity Tutors, where our students will get a live tutor to enhance their learning and hopefully that will show growth in those areas where they seem to be faltering based on their state scores,” Dr. Carr said.
Clarendon County School District is one of eight districts that have received funding across the state for high intensity tutoring, something officials from the state department of education say will be beneficial.
“Research tells us that high intensity tutoring can be very effective for academic growth for students who are struggling, and so as a result, the legislature approved some funding through a provision for this pilot project. and that's really the impetus for our programs,” Dr. Diane Sigmon, with the South Carolina Department of Education, said.
Officials with Varsity Tutors, the company that will be providing 24/7 chat based tutoring for students that they can access through their district student account or by visiting the school district website.
“They can get help with any subject that they want and they can be screen sharing, they can share their worksheet page and the tutor can help them work through any help that they need on that. Those sessions are being recorded while they're going on so the students can refer back to them later,” Charles Watson with Varsity Tutors said.
Watson says these online services will also be available in Spanish, with additional languages added at a later date, but the help for students doesn’t stop here.
The school district says they’ve identified cohorts of students at Manning High School, Scott's Branch High School and East Clarendon High School, based on their state test scores that will receive in person tutoring three days a week.
"When you do the high intensity tutoring, repeated sessions, at least twice a week, at least 45 minutes a week and a least over a 10-week period you see, typically two times the amount of growth and at least one time the reading growth as far as advancement,” Watson said.
Clarendon County School District officials say this pilot program will continue while funding lasts. It’ll start this fall and continue over into the spring semester with a new group of students. Varsity Tutors says the 24/7 online tutoring will be available to students until 2030. They are also bringing in person tutoring to students in Sumter and Bamberg counties.