Policies

By enrolling and/or participating in tutoring sessions, you agree to the following policies and procedures.

Any updates or changes to Tutors for Homeschoolers' policies will be posted on this page.

PAYMENTS & SESSIONS

Payment instructions will be sent when you enroll. Neither Tutors for Homeschoolers, nor its teachers, accept personal checks or cash. Payments for weekly sessions are made using Automatic Recurring Billing once it is set up. Until then, payments are to be made via Zelle or Venmo.

PACKAGE SESSIONS:
For 5-session and 8-session packages, or any custom-created packages, tuition is paid as a one-time package fee and is non-refundable.

Sessions must be used within the time allotted or they expire and are non-refundable. 5-session packages must be used within 120 days of purchase, and 8-session packages must be used within 160 days of purchase. No refunds or credits are given for lessons not used within the allotted time. TFH cannot guarantee that the same tutor will be available for all sessions if the student spreads out their sessions with excessive time between sessions.

Contact your teacher each time you want to schedule an individual session, or if you already know your schedule, you can plan that out with the teacher in advance. It is the student’s/parent’s responsibility to contact the teacher when you want a lesson. Neither the office nor the teacher will harass you to schedule a lesson (we wouldn’t like that either!) or remind you about your lesson package, as we do not know your schedule and can't predict when you want lessons. Keep in mind that these packages do expire, so remember to stay on top of scheduling sessions.

If you do not hear from the teacher within 24 hours after contacting him/her to schedule a lesson, contact the TFH office at hello@tutorsforhomeschoolers.com within 48 hours of this lack of response. We will be able to tell you if the teacher is out of town or other scenarios, and help you to make the best use of your lesson package in a timely manner. Tutors for Homeschoolers is committed to excellent service, and we are only able to offer this level of excellence if you communicate any issues immediately.

The only situation that would warrant a refund for a package is if your current teacher is not available and TFH has no replacement teachers. In that case, a prorated refund would be made to you. No refunds/credits given if we do have a replacement teacher.

WEEKLY SESSIONS:
For weekly sessions, tuition is paid monthly and will be deducted from the bank account or credit/debit card of your choice on the 1st of each month, with the first month being prorated. We accept Visa or MasterCard, as well as debits from your bank account. Payments are made directly to the company for the month in advance. 

Students are charged a flat-rate tuition fee each month. Most months, the student will receive 4 lessons. Some months, because of the way the weeks fall, the student will receive 5 lessons: we do not charge extra for 5-lesson months. Due to TFH Scheduled Holiday closures such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, the student will occasionally receive 3 lessons in a month. The 3-lesson months and the 5-lesson months balance out to an average of 4 lessons per month over the course of the year. A flat rate tuition fee is charged each month. Throughout the year, students will be notified in advance of TFH Scheduled Vacations. See “TFH Scheduled Vacations” on this page. No refunds or credits are given if a student discontinues lessons before their 3- and 5- week months balance out. 

The only time Tutors for Homeschoolers prorates tuition is during the first month of lessons and in extreme circumstances, which are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

TFH SCHEDULED VACATIONS

Specific dates for TFH Scheduled Vacations will be announced at the beginning of each semester. In general, we do not teach on normal school vacation days (but we do teach throughout the summer), including the following:   

Spring Break 
Easter Weekend
Memorial Day 
July 4th Week
Labor Day 
Thanksgiving Week 
Christmas / New Years vacation  

* Tuition is not adjusted for TFH Scheduled Vacations  (see Lesson Payment Procedures above for an explanation of how the flat-rate monthly tuition works for weekly sessions).

MAKE-UPS, RESCHEDULES & ABSENCES

Lessons missed due to teacher absence will be made up.  

Lessons missed due to student absences will be made up if the teacher receives 48-hours notice from the student/parent. The exception to the 48-hour cancellation policy is in the case of student illness or true emergency. The definition of a true emergency is at the teacher’s and office's discretion.  

Regardless of the circumstances, no make-ups/reschedules/credits/refunds will be given if a student is not online or unavailable for a lesson at their scheduled lesson time and the student/parent fails to inform teacher ahead of time of their absence.   

In the event of a teacher internet outage and/or mobile outage, the lesson will be made up.
In the event of a student internet and/or mobile outage, the regular cancellation agreement applies, with the exception of the first incident, provided the parent notifies the teacher prior to the lesson start time.

CANCELLATION POLICY/DISCONTINUING LESSONS

Package Lessons do not require a commitment, other than the expiration time period listed above.

Weekly lessons:
You are receiving deeply discounted rates because you are having sessions weekly and committing to one calendar month at a time.
When you sign up, you choose to pay a $30 registration fee, or pay for the first three months up front. If you pay the registration fee, you are committed to one calendar month at a time. If you pay for the first three months upfront, you are committing to these three months of lessons in order to receive your discounted rate. No refunds or credits are given if you choose to discontinue sessions prior  to the end of the 3-month commitment.

To permanently cancel lessons or to temporarily pause lessons, you need to inform the office (not just the teacher) no later than the 20th of the month before the month you wish to cancel. Example: To cancel for October, you must notify the office no later than September 20th. Cancellation notification must be given to the office via email to hello@tutorsforhomeschoolers.com.   

You are financially responsible for lessons until you notify the office directly of your cancellation. Notifying the teacher of your cancellation/pause is polite, however, it does not constitute notifying the office.  

There are no refunds for un-used lessons due to student cancellations.   

Your automatic payments will continue until you notify the office staff of your discontinuation in writing (via email or text is sufficient) and no refunds will be given for any unused lessons due to failure to notify office of cancellation.

YOUR TEACHER

If you wish to work with a teacher other than your originally assigned teacher, you must contact Tutors for Homeschoolers to arrange this.   

Tutors for Homeschoolers' teachers are bound by contract to work with you and/or your family only through Tutors for Homeschoolers. Out of respect for the work of the company and its staff, teachers may not teach former or potential Tutors for Homeschoolers students on their own.   

Tutors for Homeschoolers offers a positive, honest, and professional experience for our students and teachers. We expect our students and teachers to treat us with the same respect and professionalism. Tutors for Homeschoolers and its teachers reserve the right to un-enroll any student or decline any student due to student behavior, parent behavior, lack of payment, or any other reason the company or teachers deem necessary.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 

Tutors for Homeschoolers staff and management work very hard to hire the best possible teachers for you, our students. Good teachers are NOT easy to come by! Each hired teacher represents substantial time and financial investment. Our teachers have signed a legally-binding contract agreeing that they will not teach your family outside of the relationship with Tutors for Homeschoolers for at least 12 months after leaving Tutors for Homeschoolers.  

Likewise, we ask our students to treat Tutors for Homeschoolers with the same ethical considerations. Students and their families agree not to retain the services of any Tutors for Homeschoolers teachers -- regardless of subject matter, regardless of the nature of services, and regardless of the location of the services --during their contract with Tutors for Homeschoolers and for a period of 12 months following the end of their contract with Tutors for Homeschoolers. If a student or their family fails to honor this agreement, student agrees to pay a Placement & Training Fee to Tutors for Homeschoolers equal to $1000, due to Tutors for Homeschoolers prior to the start of your work with said teacher outside of the Tutors for Homeschoolers relationship/contract. This placement fee is charged on a per-student basis.

SCHEDULING LESSONS

You will schedule your lesson time with your teacher. Lessons are held on the same day at the same time each week unless prior arrangements have been made to reschedule (see Make Ups, Reschedules, & Absences section above).

Lesson time starts at the agreed upon time (or when the teacher logs on if the teacher is running late). Students should be ready to work at least 2 minutes prior to their scheduled time with their books, materials, website, app, or instrument and music books all ready to go. Please prepare the student to be ready at the scheduled lesson start time.

DISPUTES

Should a student/parent have a dispute regarding whether a lesson was received, or whether full lesson time was given, Tutors for Homeschoolers management will investigate the lesson(s) in question with both student/parent and teacher and will remain the sole and final decision maker in in resolving such disputes, including what money and/or lessons are owed regarding such dispute. We review detailed attendance files weekly in order to avoid confusion and ensure that lessons are being received. However, if confusion over lessons does arise, we will do everything in our power to come to a resolution in the fairest way possible, making sure the student does receive any lessons owed. 

Should a customer/student dispute a charge through their financial institution, it will constitute a breach of contract possibly resulting in -- but not limited to-- penalties, additional fees, collection, legal action, and/or termination of any and/or all current and future services. 

REFERRALS: EARN FREE SESSIONS!

We know you will be happy with our teachers! Tell friends and neighbors about us and receive a $25 credit towards your next month or your next lesson package!

Note: You will receive this credit after your referral completes their second month of weekly lessons with us or after they purchase a 5 or 8-lesson package. The lesson credit is not redeemable for cash or refund.

WAIVER

While the chance for injury or damage occurring during an online tutoring session is extremely low, the student and their parent(s) understand that any activity involves some level of risk. Students and their parents agree that they will not hold Tutors for Homeschoolers, or any of its owners or staff, liable should injury or property damage be caused during a tutoring session. The student and their parent(s) agree to hold Tutors for Homeschoolers blameless.

PHOTO/VIDEO RELEASE:

We enjoy sharing pictures and accomplishments of our Tutors for Homeschoolers students! By agreeing to Tutors for Homeschoolers policies you give permission for Tutors for Homeschoolers to: (1) take photographs and video recordings of your children as they participate in Tutors for Homeschoolers activities; and (2) use, reuse, modify, publish, and republish those photographs, videos, and any derivative works (“Photos”) in any format or media, including the Internet, for purposes related to Tutors for Homeschoolers's mission. You waive any claims, demands, and liabilities against Tutors for Homeschoolers for taking and using these Photos. You understand that this release is binding upon you, your children, and any legal representatives, heirs, and assigns.

When sharing pictures or videos of your child, we use the first name and city/state in which they take lessons. We do not share last names, home addresses or any contact information.

To opt out of Tutors for Homeschoolers' Photo/Video Release Policy, please send a written notification to hello@tutorsforhomeschoolers.com