Yes. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who understand IEP requirements and can reinforce the specific goals and accommodations outlined in your child's plan. Tutors can focus on priority areas identified by your school while maintaining communication about progress. This collaborative approach helps ensure consistency between home tutoring and classroom instruction for students in Birmingham's school districts.

The first session is typically an assessment and relationship-building meeting. The tutor will learn about your child's learning style, current challenges, strengths, and specific goals—whether that's improving reading fluency, building math confidence, or working on executive function skills. This information helps create a personalized plan that addresses your child's unique needs and sets the foundation for effective progress.

Students often struggle with foundational skills like reading decoding, math fact fluency, or organization; processing speed differences; or difficulty transferring skills learned in one setting to another. Personalized tutoring addresses these challenges through targeted practice, multi-sensory approaches, and explicit strategy instruction tailored to how your child learns best. Regular 1-on-1 sessions also build consistency and help students apply skills across different contexts.

Look for tutors with experience working with students who have learning differences, ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or other specific diagnoses relevant to your child. Ideally, they should understand evidence-based interventions like structured literacy, visual supports, or behavioral strategies. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have demonstrated expertise in special education and can explain their approach to meeting your child's specific needs.

Progress is tracked through specific, measurable goals—such as improved reading accuracy, increased math fluency, better organization skills, or greater independence with tasks. Tutors monitor progress through regular assessments, work samples, and observations, then adjust instruction as needed. Many families also see improvements reflected in school grades, test scores, IEP progress reports, and increased confidence and motivation in their child.

Frequency depends on your child's specific needs, goals, and current challenges. Some students benefit from twice-weekly sessions to build foundational skills, while others do well with weekly tutoring combined with school support. Varsity Tutors can help you determine the right frequency based on your child's IEP goals and the areas where they need the most support.

While it's helpful, it's not required. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who understand general curriculum standards and can quickly learn about your child's school's specific approach. What matters most is that the tutor understands your child's learning profile and can reinforce the skills and concepts being taught in class while adapting instruction to your child's pace and learning style.