Homeless Education Tutoring Program

20 Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Does the HEP Tutoring program serve students staying at a motel, hotel, or shelter? Will housing status be verified or cross-checked? 

Students in motels, hotels, or shelters will be referred to School on Wheels - our partner agency. LACOE Homeless Tutoring will focus on the McKinney-Vento doubled and tripled-up students. The status of students will be verified and/or cross-checked.

2. Could you send a tutoring referral directly to School on Wheels or through LACOE? 

You may send your referral directly to School on Wheels or you can submit a referral form and we will direct it to School on Wheels.

3. Is there an allotted number of tutoring hours a homeless student can receive in a school year? 

20 tutoring hours are allocated per student with a 2-hour max per week. Program Year runs from September 5, 2023 – June 30th, 2024.

4. When do the tutoring companies and tutors provide services? 

Tutoring providers and tutors generally provide services after school, in the evenings, and on weekends. Services should be offered no later than 8:00 pm.

5. If a student in an after-school program does that count as "other tutoring", which prevents them from being eligible?

 Afterschool programming is not considered “official tutoring“, thereby allowing the student to be eligible for services under our tutoring program.

6. Can students with IEP (Individualized Education Program) receive tutoring? 

Yes, our tutoring providers serve students with IEPs.

7. For families with multiple children, do we complete one form for each? 

Yes, you must complete one form per student.

8. Is tutoring offered in-person or virtually? 

Tutoring mode is based on the needs of the family and student. Tutoring can occur in-person or virtually. Services can also be rendered at a local library if the housing situation is unstable, or the home location is unable to support a quiet learning experience.

9. Can the tutoring be done in languages other than English? 

Yes, we do have tutors who speak other languages. Tutoring done in other languages may have fewer options for in-person tutoring due to the location of the tutor. This will be discussed when the tutoring company reaches out to the family/student.

10. Who are the tutoring vendors? 

Thrive Academics and Professional Tutors of America. These companies are vetted and approved by LACOE and are also used by Foster Youth Services.

11. If we have a student who is McKinney-Vento and a foster student, do you recommend submitting a tutoring referral through foster? 

If there is an open DCSF case for the student, please submit a referral through the Foster Youth Services Tutoring Services https://www.lacoe.edu/Student-Services/Foster-Youth-Services/Tutoring

12. If a student’s housing situation changes while receiving tutoring (ex. change from doubled up to motel), are they still able to complete their tutoring through LACOE? 

Yes, we will maintain services. Examples of housing status changes will not affect eligibility. if a student moves from a doubled-up housing situation to a motel or a doubled-up housing situation to being permanently housed. 

13. What is the turnaround time from referral submission? 

LACOE HEP Tutoring has up to 10 days to review or verify and send referrals to the tutoring vendor. The tutoring vendor will contact the parent/guardian within 3 business days after the referral has been assigned.

14. Will I receive confirmation once I submit a referral? Yes, once the referral has been assigned to a tutor, the LEA will be notified with a confirmation email. If a case has been “terminated”, the LEA will also be notified. (ENTER THE STATUS)

15. Would the tutoring vendor be contacting the parent via email to arrange services? Yes, the tutoring vendors will reach out via email if unable to reach the parent/guardian by phone. The referring party or district should communicate with parents or guardians about eligibility and expected contact from a tutoring company.

16. Where can I find the tutoring referral link? https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7IbvpGdMyrdI9aZ6anNXY6A0vzrE6da0jh6itwt-8syyUgA/viewform?usp=sf_link

17. What if parents/guardians do not have an email address? If the parent does not have an email, please use "test@noemail.com" in the tutoring form. Tutoring vendors will contact parents/guardians via phone if no email address is available.

18. If being asked for a “student profile” or “proof of housing status”, what can be provided? Aeries Program Screenshot that confirms housing as temporarily doubled up or something similar. Student Housing Questionnaire. Please note that some liaisons have created a Google folder with scanned Student Housing Questionnaires by district or school and shared access. This method is effective in verifying eligibility and connecting the student to a tutoring provider. This information is confidential and used only for verification of eligibility for tutoring.

19. Can students live outside of LA County and still receive services from the LACOE Homeless Education Tutoring Program? Students must live within LA County to receive services from the LACOE Homeless Education Tutoring Program.

20. How is the selection process made for the tutoring provider? Our tutoring vendors have tutors throughout LA County, and we prioritize assigning tutors who are in the serving area of the student referral. This ensures that students can access tutoring conveniently and efficiently. Our goal is to provide personalized and localized support to each student, making their learning experience as seamless as possible.