Award-Winning Special Education Tutors
serving Portland, OR
Award-Winning
Special Education
Tutors in Portland
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
UniversitiesSchools & Universities
DeliveredHours Delivered
ProficiencyGrowth in Proficiency
Who needs tutoring?
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.

Sophia earned her Master's in Education with a focus that included understanding diverse learning profiles — from dyslexia and ADHD to processing differences that require adapted instruction. She modifies reading and writing lessons using multisensory techniques, scaffolded tasks, and individualized pacing so students with IEPs or 504 plans can access grade-level content on their own terms.

Having worked with kids across a wide range of educational settings, Rebecca tailors her approach to each learner's processing style — whether that means breaking instructions into smaller steps, using visual organizers, or adjusting pacing mid-session. Her psychology training gives her a practical understanding of how different learners encode and retrieve information, which she applies directly to academic content.
Five years teaching elementary-age children in Hebrew School gave Marilyn experience adapting lessons for different learning speeds and styles, including students who need material broken into smaller, more concrete steps. She tailors explanations to each student's strengths — whether that means visual diagrams, verbal repetition, or hands-on examples — and builds routines that reduce frustration around new or difficult content.
I am an interdisciplinary educator with an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. My background is primarily in integrated arts learning and museum education and I specialize in visual arts, history and art history, and object-based learning. In all subjects, I take a creative, inquiry-based and learner-centered approach, designing opportunities for each unique individual to meet their learning goals.
I'm not tutoring or buried in my textbooks, you will either find me rock climbing at the Triangle Rock Club, playing Ultimate Frisbee, working on my car, or enjoying the great outdoors (beaches, mountains, forests--you name it, I love it). On rainy weekends I enjoy tinkering with computers and old electronics, playing Pokemon, or picking at my guitar.
I am a recent graduate from a masters program in biostatistics at Columbia University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences, with a focus in neurobiology at Northwestern University. In August, I will be starting a doctoral program in biostatistics at NYU. I was a teaching assistant at Columbia University in my department and also have tutored graduate students and undergraduates privately as well. My primary areas of tutoring are math and statistics coursework in addition to math sections on standardized tests such as the GRE and GMAT. I am very passionate about helping students feel more confident and excited about math. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing piano, and spending time with friends and family.
I am a graduate of Wesleyan University, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with High Honors. With eight years of experience working in education, I've tutored students in math, science, history, and English, as well as helped students prepare for standardized tests. I've guided adults towards passing the US Citizenship Exam and taught English in India, where I lived for six months. Whenever I work with a student I personalize the lessons to fit their particular learning style, since I know every student is unique and having the right fit can make all the difference in making learning fun and effective. My strengths are tutoring the social sciences and humanities, as well as making math and standardized tests approachable to students that normally don't like those subjects. In my spare time I like traveling, spending time in the outdoors (climbing & backpacking), meditation, and playing soccer. Next fall I will be beginning my PhD in Education at Harvard University.
I am a rising sophomore at Harvard College and am about to declare as a Mechanical Engineering concentrator, working towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with my peers and those around me and have done so in both formal and informal settings. I've been a tutor for both Math and Spanish programs in high school and enjoyed the strides I made with students. I am willing to tutor any subject I have a background in, but am strong in mathematics, the sciences, Spanish, history, writing, and ACT prep. I enjoy teaching mathematics most due to the joy I can see in children once they master a topic and can answer even pointed questions meant to stump them, and maybe even put their knowledge to real world use. As a tutor, I like to give a strong foundation to orient my student, and then gradually grant them more freedom and independence until they can feel themselves grasp the concept, pointing out pitfalls or common errors along the way; teachers who used these methods on me always left the most lasting impressions. Outside of my studies, I really enjoy listening to music, both old favorites and new interests, reading classics, and gaming/playing basketball with my friends.
I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campus); social sciences; and literature/writing.
I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals!
I am proud to be a part of Varsity Tutors! I am originally from San Antonio, TX; I completed my undergraduate education at Rice University in Houston where I received a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Currently, I am in my second year of medical school at Baylor College of Medicine.
I am a graduate of Washington University in St Louis, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Humanities and Anthropology. Since graduation, I have worked as a tutor, teacher, and director of tutors at a charter public middle school in Boston. During this time I also received my Masters in Mild to Moderate Disabilities from Simmons College. I have worked extensively with students with a range of abilities, including students with specific learning disabilities, emotional impairments, dyslexia, and ADHD. My teaching experience has given me a deep understanding of the knowledge and habits essential to academic success and has given me the opportunity to hone a variety of strategies that ensure students at each level can achieve their academic goals. While I tutor a broad range of subjects, my favorite ones are Reading, Elementary/Middle School Math, History, and Test Prep. In my experience, tutoring is the most rewarding when a student has that "aha!" moment and achieves a new level of understanding and confidence in his/her abilities. I am a firm believer in the transformative power of education, and I see my role to be that of a facilitator and coach who is there to help the student reach his/her goals through individualized support and rigorous practice. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, practicing my Spanish, and discovering new music. I am also an avid traveler and just got back from a 3 month trip to South America. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you!
Testimonials
Because the right Special Education tutor makes all the difference.
Average Session Rating – Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
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Frequently Asked Questions
Special education tutoring provides personalized 1-on-1 instruction tailored to a student's individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan. Tutors work with students who have learning disabilities, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or other conditions that affect learning, focusing on building academic skills, social-emotional development, and independence in ways that work for each student's unique learning style.
Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who understand how to support IEP goals and can work collaboratively with your student's school team. Before starting, tutors review your student's IEP to understand their specific goals, accommodations, and learning needs, then design instruction that reinforces classroom learning while addressing skill gaps. This coordination helps ensure tutoring complements—not conflicts with—what's happening in school.
Students receiving special education services often struggle with reading fluency and comprehension, math fact automaticity, executive function skills like organization and time management, social communication, and building confidence after repeated academic struggles. Additionally, the 17.2:1 student-teacher ratio in Portland schools means classroom teachers have limited time for individualized practice, which is where personalized tutoring can make a significant difference by providing the repetition and feedback students need to master skills.
In a classroom setting, even with accommodations, students compete for teacher attention and must keep pace with group instruction. Personalized 1-on-1 tutoring allows tutors to adjust the pace, break skills into smaller steps, use multi-sensory approaches, and provide immediate feedback—all key principles from learning science research showing that individualized instruction significantly accelerates progress for students with learning differences. Tutors can also spend time building confidence and celebrating small wins, which is critical for students who've experienced academic frustration.
Expert tutors in special education typically have training in evidence-based interventions like structured literacy, applied behavior analysis (ABA), or social-emotional learning strategies. Many have backgrounds in special education, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, or psychology. When you connect with Varsity Tutors, you can discuss your student's specific needs and we'll match them with a tutor who has relevant expertise and experience working with students with similar profiles.
The first session focuses on building rapport and understanding your student's strengths, challenges, learning preferences, and goals. The tutor will likely assess where your student is academically, discuss their IEP or 504 plan with you, and ask about what's worked (or hasn't worked) in the past. This foundation helps the tutor design a personalized plan that targets your student's biggest needs while building on what they do well.
Progress looks different for each student and should align with their IEP goals—whether that's improving reading decoding by one grade level, increasing math fluency, developing better organization skills, or growing confidence in social situations. Tutors track progress through regular assessment, skill practice, and documentation so you can see concrete improvements over weeks and months. Regular communication with your tutor helps you understand what's working and adjust the focus as your student masters skills.
Portland's six school districts provide special education services required by IDEA and Section 504, but tutoring fills important gaps by offering intensive, individualized practice on specific skills between school sessions. Tutors can reinforce what's being taught in resource rooms or special education classrooms, help with homework in accessible ways, and work on goals that might not get enough classroom time due to group instruction demands. Coordinating with your student's school team ensures everyone is working toward the same objectives.
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