Paper's Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to frequently asked questions about Paper
What is Paper online tutoring?
Paper partners with school districts to deliver 1:1 tutoring that is equitable, scalable, and cost-effective. Students get unlimited 24/7 live help and writing feedback, teachers get insights to tackle individual learning gaps, and administrators get actionable data to inform strategic decisions. Paper’s multilingual tutors add an extra layer of support across all content areas and grade levels, in and out of the classroom— so students always have access to expert help exactly when, where, and how they need it.
Who are Paper’s tutors?
Paper carefully selects every member of our diverse and multilingual team of tutors to
ensure students get the very best help. We hire high-performing college students, PhD candidates, and teachers with expertise across K-12 subject areas.
Paper's tutors never give students the answers—they are trained to use inquiry-based methods to reinforce classroom instruction and support students in ways that elicit prior knowledge, guide discovery, and support metacognition. This student-centered framework empowers students to build confidence, pursue lifelong learning, and prepare for college and career success.
Paper does not use any subcontractors or freelancers—all tutors are employees of the company. That means they have gone through an extensive set of screening, background checks, aptitude tests, and training to ensure consistency and quality of service for every student.
ensure students get the very best help. We hire high-performing college students, PhD candidates, and teachers with expertise across K-12 subject areas.
Paper's tutors never give students the answers—they are trained to use inquiry-based methods to reinforce classroom instruction and support students in ways that elicit prior knowledge, guide discovery, and support metacognition. This student-centered framework empowers students to build confidence, pursue lifelong learning, and prepare for college and career success.
Paper does not use any subcontractors or freelancers—all tutors are employees of the company. That means they have gone through an extensive set of screening, background checks, aptitude tests, and training to ensure consistency and quality of service for every student.
Are Paper tutors free?
Paper believes every student should have access to the support they need—anytime, anywhere. We also believe that the burden of providing this support shouldn’t be on teachers or parents. Paper partners with school systems to deliver 24/7, unlimited, and multilingual tutoring—at no cost to families.
This model of academic support helps schools tackle equity gaps and put achievement within every student’s reach.
This model of academic support helps schools tackle equity gaps and put achievement within every student’s reach.
Is Paper’s service really on-demand and unlimited?
Yes! Paper is staffed to support hundreds of schools systems around the country. A smart-matching algorithm ensures that every student is connected to a tutor suited to their unique needs within 30 seconds—no scheduling required. Students have no restrictions on how long tutoring sessions last, or how many times they can come back for help.
How do I check if I have access to Paper?
Check out our access lookup tool to see if you have access to Paper through your school district or state.
How do I log in to Paper?
Students, teachers, and administrators from Paper's partner schools can log in to Paper here with their email, SSO, or by locating their school. To find out if you have access to Paper through your school, visit our Access Lookup Tool here.
How does Paper tutoring work?
Paper offers free, 24/7 chat-based tutoring for students in English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin. Tutors are available on-demand for unlimited, 1:1 support in any K-12 subject area. Based on a student’s question, grade level, and language preference, Paper pairs students with the best tutor to meet their needs within 30 seconds. Transcripts of each tutoring session are saved for students whenever they need to revise concepts.
Along with live help, Paper also offers an asynchronous essay review tool that allows students to receive annotated feedback on content, grammar, and structure.
Along with live help, Paper also offers an asynchronous essay review tool that allows students to receive annotated feedback on content, grammar, and structure.
How does Paper support teachers?
Paper tutors serve as dedicated, 24/7 TAs. Teachers can lean on tutors to help students grasp concepts, get more practice, and ultimately turn in better assignments in line with their instruction. With Paper’s tutors adding an extra layer of support for students in and out of the classroom, teachers can unlock time to tackle other classroom responsibilities, build relationships, or simply get the rest they deserve.
All student activity on Paper is recorded, tracked, and made readily available to teachers. This equips them with actionable insights on student progress and learning gaps to identify opportunities for more targeted support or interventions.
Paper also provides a host of professional learning and networking opportunities surrounding Paper and beyond—including events, resource kits, and a self-paced PD program that provides accreditation.
All student activity on Paper is recorded, tracked, and made readily available to teachers. This equips them with actionable insights on student progress and learning gaps to identify opportunities for more targeted support or interventions.
Paper also provides a host of professional learning and networking opportunities surrounding Paper and beyond—including events, resource kits, and a self-paced PD program that provides accreditation.
How does Paper ensure student safety and wellness?
Paper integrates with schools’ existing security and privacy practices. Paper operates under strict adherence to federal and state-specific student data privacy laws such as COPPA, FERPA, CSDPA, and IL-NDPA. Paper is also a signatory of the Student Privacy Pledge and a member of the A4L Community and SDPC. All tutor-student communication is chat-based to provide 100% visibility into all student activity to school leaders, teachers, and parents or guardians.
Each Paper tutor is a dedicated employee, not a freelance worker or subcontractor, who has undergone a criminal background check prior to employment. Tutors are extensively trained to provide a safe, non-judgmental learning environment, promote good digital citizenship, and enact crisis prevention and response processes established in collaboration with schools.
Each Paper tutor is a dedicated employee, not a freelance worker or subcontractor, who has undergone a criminal background check prior to employment. Tutors are extensively trained to provide a safe, non-judgmental learning environment, promote good digital citizenship, and enact crisis prevention and response processes established in collaboration with schools.
Why is tutoring on Paper chat-based?
Paper uses a chat-based interface to promote student safety, provide a comfortable learning environment, and elevate relearning opportunities.
Instant messaging helps preserve student privacy, allowing learners to take their time formulating questions and putting together their thoughts without the pressure of being on camera. Students can also upload pictures of their homework, use a virtual whiteboard, and communicate with their tutors using a full emoji keyboard, allowing them to send and receive messages in a way that feels natural. Chat interactions use less bandwidth than videoconferencing, making them a flexible option for tutoring sessions taking place in a variety of locations and over extended periods of time.
Transcripts of all tutoring sessions remain accessible on the platform, meaning students can revisit sessions to brush up on topics they've studied before. Teachers also have the chance to view all student sessions to track—and celebrate—student progress.
Instant messaging helps preserve student privacy, allowing learners to take their time formulating questions and putting together their thoughts without the pressure of being on camera. Students can also upload pictures of their homework, use a virtual whiteboard, and communicate with their tutors using a full emoji keyboard, allowing them to send and receive messages in a way that feels natural. Chat interactions use less bandwidth than videoconferencing, making them a flexible option for tutoring sessions taking place in a variety of locations and over extended periods of time.
Transcripts of all tutoring sessions remain accessible on the platform, meaning students can revisit sessions to brush up on topics they've studied before. Teachers also have the chance to view all student sessions to track—and celebrate—student progress.
How can schools and districts fund Paper?
Paper can be funded through a variety of sources, including district-managed budgets (e.g. Educational Services and Curriculum & Instruction), COVID-19 relief funding (e.g. CARES, CRRSA, and ARP Act funds), categorical funding (e.g. Title I or IV), special grants (e.g. California Expanded Learning Opportunities), and school-controlled funding (e.g. funds controlled by principals, funds for AVID programs).
Is Paper tutoring legit?
Yes! Paper is currently partnered with hundreds of school systems across North America, serving nearly 2.5 million students on our 24/7 academic support platform. Learn more about Paper's impact here.
What is Gradeslam?
Paper was formerly known as Gradeslam. Learn more about the Gradeslam to Paper rebrand here.
Ready to learn how Paper can work for you?
