Illinois District Taps into Free Tutoring Resources

Grayville Community School District 1 in Illinois has partnered with Varsity Tutors for Schools, a Nerdy company, to provide its live online tutoring platform to the district, students, and families at no cost. The free access extends to June 30, 2030; the company also offers paid high-dosage tutoring options, for more targeted interventions.

The Varsity Tutors platform provides interactive study tools, collaborative workspaces, and dynamic learning resources, according to the company. Students can chat with a tutor, take practice tests, follow personal lesson plans for guided self-study, sign up for expert-led live classes, and more. Features include:

  • 24/7 on-demand chat tutoring;
  • On-demand essay review;
  • Live enrichment and remediation classes;
  • SAT and ACT test prep classes;
  • Celebrity-led StarCourse classes;
  • Self-study resources;
  • College and career readiness resources;
  • Adaptive assessments and personalized learning plans; and
  • Recorded enrichment classes.

"In today's world, there is never enough time to do everything we need to do. It is no different when it comes to students and schoolwork," said Miranda Morris, director of curriculum and instruction at Grayville Community School District 1, in a statement. "Despite the predominately low student-teacher ratio of Grayville CUSD #1, there could never be enough one-on-one opportunities for students to get help or to continue their learning. With access to Varsity Tutors for Schools, these opportunities are not only available, but they are on demand at any time. We are thrilled to be able to offer this Varsity Tutors for Schools platform as a service to students, and we encourage everyone to take full advantage."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Abstract AI circuit board pattern

    Nonprofit LawZero to Work Toward Safer, Truthful AI

    Turing Award-winning AI researcher Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a nonprofit aimed at developing AI systems that prioritize safety and truthfulness over autonomy.

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • human profile with a circuit-board brain next to an open book

    Pilot Program Fosters AI Literacy in Underserved Youth

    A pilot co-led by Operation HOPE and Georgia State University is working to build technical, entrepreneurial, and financial-literacy skills in Atlanta-area youth to help them thrive in the AI-powered workforce.

  • student holding a smartphone with thumbs-up and thumbs-down icons, surrounded by abstract digital media symbols and interface elements

    Teaching Media Literacy? Start by Teaching Decision-Making

    Decision-making is a skill that must be developed — not assumed. Students need opportunities to learn the tools and practices of effective decision-making so they can apply what they know in meaningful, real-world contexts.