Free Online Tutoring for K-12 Students

Get Tutoring Help, Now Available Two Ways

Our Dakota Dreams offers free online tutoring for all South Dakota K-12 students. Led by tutors pursuing education degrees at Northern State University and Black Hills State University, these sessions are valuable tools to help students succeed inside and outside of the classroom.

New this year, we’re introducing two unique programs to take advantage of online tutoring. Students can now access tutors using Tutor Tracks, a new subject-specific program, or with on-demand homework help.

Tutor Tracks

With Tutor Tracks, students can dig deep on a specific subject to firm up their foundations in Reading, Grammar or Math. For each session, tutors bring guided lesson plans, so all students have to do is show up and be ready to learn. Sessions are held for 30 minutes, twice a week, over a seven-week period.

  • Available for students in grades 1-8
  • Three Tutor Tracks available: Reading, Grammar or Math
    • Reading track: morphology and spelling (grades 1-8)
    • Grammar track: parts of speech and writing (grades 3-8)
    • Math track: focus on fractions (grades 4-6)
  • Tutor-led instruction – all students have to do is show up
  • Recurring 30-minute sessions, twice per week, over a seven-week period
  • Four sessions available:
    • September 11-October 27, 2023
    • October 30-December 5, 2023
    • January 16-March 14, 2024
    • March 18-May 3, 2024

Registered users on the Dakota Dreams tutoring platform can apply any time. (Not yet registered? Do it here.) After the application is submitted, Tutor Tracks staff will be in touch to verify acceptance and schedule.

WATCH MORE ABOUT TUTOR TRACKS

kid doing homework with headphones on
boy on a computer

Tutor Tracks Overview

Learn about Tutor Tracks curriculum and how each lesson supports classroom learning.

Applying for Tutor Tracks

Watch a step-by-step tutorial of how to apply and use the Tutor Tracks program.

 

Online Homework Help

Our Dakota Dreams also offers on-demand tutoring for homework help on an as-needed basis. Sessions can be scheduled ahead of time or accessed on-demand as students need help or have questions on schoolwork. During these sessions, students are expected to bring assignments, homework or other questions for a tutor to assist them with.

  • Available for students in grades K-12
  • Four tutoring subjects: Math, English, Science or Social Studies
  • Students bring homework or questions for tutors to assist with
  • Scheduled or on-demand sessions
  • Tutors available during program hours

To access online homework help, first register for Online Tutoring. Then it’s as easy as scheduling or starting a session.

How to Register for Online Tutoring

Want to use free after-school homework help through Our Dakota Dreams? Let’s get started.

online tutoring how to register graphic
Bring something to work on

How to Register

  1. Click “register and get started”.
  2. Fill in your parent or guardian name and email address. You’ll receive a verification code at that email to enter on the registration site.
  3. Create a unique password for your parent login.
  4. Register your student. (If your student doesn’t have an email address, you can make up a unique ID for them to access their sessions. Your student will also need their own password to log in. Make sure to document your student’s login info to keep handy.)
  5. Select things like the student’s date of birth, ethnicity and school.
  6. Add another student or move on.
  7. Read and accept the terms of service and parent consent form.

That’s it! Your student is now signed up for after school homework help. Once you’re ready, sign-in to the platform to see how easy it is to access instructors during program hours.

Start a Tutoring Session

Need help with schoolwork? Let’s start a tutoring session.

Click “student sign in” and login using your email or ID and password. Logging in as a parent instead? No problem. Once you’re logged in, just select your student in the top corner.

Once in the platform, there are a couple ways you can access tutors during program hours:

Live Homework Help

Access tutors without an appointment by clicking the “Live Homework Help” section on the student’s dashboard. Select the subject you need help with and get in the queue. A tutor will join you momentarily. (Be prepared to explain what you want to accomplish during your session.)

Schedule a Session

Click the “Booking” tab on the left. Using the form fields at the top, select your student’s subject and grade level. A list of available tutors will appear at the bottom. Select an instructor to see their availability. Then, find a time that works, and click “submit request.” When the instructor accepts your request, the appointment will appear on your calendar.

2023-2024 Online Tutoring Hours

Students can access tutoring sessions seven days a week with no appointment needed during program hours. The program runs September 5, 2023 through May 3, 2024 during the 2023-2024 school year.

  • Monday-Thursday: 3:30-9:30pm (CT) / 2:30-8:30pm (MT)
  • Friday: 3:30-6:30pm (CT) / 2:30-5:30pm (MT)
  • Saturday: 3:30-6:30pm (CT) / 2:30-5:30pm (MT)
  • Sunday: 1:30-9:30pm (CT) / 12:30-8:30pm (MT)

Closed for the following holidays: Native American Day (Oct. 9, 2023), Veterans Day (Nov. 10, 2023), Thanksgiving (Nov. 22-26, 2023), Christmas and Semester Break (Dec. 6, 2023-Jan. 7, 2024), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 15, 2024), Presidents’ Day (Feb. 19, 2024), Spring Break (Mar. 15-17, 2024) and Good Friday/Easter (Mar. 29-Apr. 1, 2024).

Promoting Dakota Dreams Online Tutoring

Help us help your students. We want to spread the word about Dakota Dreams Online Tutoring, and your enthusiasm and endorsement can truly make a difference. These toolkit resources – printable flyer, parent letter and social media package – are here to help you inspire both parents and students alike to take part in this awesome opportunity.

POINTERS FOR A GREAT SESSION

As you meet, here are a couple of pointers to get the most from your experience:

  • Use computer or laptop with reliable internet (mobile phones are not supported).
  • Find a quiet space.
  • For online homework help, bring something to work on together, like a worksheet or assignment
  • For the Tutor Tracks program, you don’t need to bring anything – your tutor will provide a lesson.

Have questions? Visit our FAQ page to find the answer or email onlinetutoring@sdbor.edu.

Project Funding and State Support

Tutoring sessions are provided at no expense to K-12 students in South Dakota. This opportunity is being administered by the South Dakota Board of Regents and funded with federal dollars available to the South Dakota Department of Education through the American Rescue Plan.

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