5.4 Recruiting and Selecting Tutors

Student motivation and engagement thrive in a safe environment fostered by supportive adults, such as tutors. The strength of the tutor-student relationship is one of the core reasons high-impact tutoring is so effective. Your recruitment and selection processes should lead to tutors that will cultivate student safety, engagement, and academic growth. The skills and attributes specified in the tutor job description significantly influence the quality of candidates available for selection. Section 5.4 outlines recommendations to define clear tutor qualifications and utilize a clear recruitment and selection strategy to build a skilled tutoring workforce.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

To prepare for the tutor recruitment process, ensure you have completed the following tasks:

Review focus areas, goals, and district priorities to ensure alignment with program objectives.
Examine the tutoring model design to confirm its feasibility and relevance to district needs.

TUTOR QUALIFICATIONS
Key Recommendations	Corresponding Resources
Identify potential tutor sources that align with program needs, such as paraprofessionals, retired teachers, college students, and paid volunteers.	Reading: Guidance for Determining Tutor Type Reading: Paraprofessionals as High-Impact Tutors Research One-Pager: Implementing High-Impact Tutoring Using Paraprofessionals
Decide on required qualifications, including any specific degrees, content knowledge, and previous experience, to align with program objectives.	Higher Education Institution Playbook: Tutor Recruitment and Selection
Determine the required number of tutors and their qualifications, including specific degrees, content knowledge, spoken languages, and prior experience, to ensure alignment with program objectives.	Reflection Guide: Determining the Quantity of Tutors
Develop a tutor job description that clearly defines attributes. Include tutor responsibilities (e.g., maintain safety, build relationships), knowledge (e.g., content knowledge, language proficiency), skills (e.g., strong communication) and mindset (e.g., believes every student can succeed with the right tools).	Reading: Components of a Tutor Job Description for a School District Template: Tutor Job Description (Word Document Available) Examples: Oakland Unified School District Early Literacy Tutor Baltimore City Public Schools Paraeducator- Early Literacy Tutor Gwinnett County Student Assistant Tutor Denver Math Fellow Job Description

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION STRATEGY
Key Recommendations	Corresponding Resources
Plan a recruitment strategy to share your job description utilizing a variety of platforms and local organizations designed to reach a diverse pool of candidates. Highlight financial benefits or future employment opportunities to attract qualified candidates.	Checklist: Developing a Recruitment Strategy (PDF Available) Research One-Pager: Recruiting College Students for Enriching Tutoring Jobs Example: Oakland Unified Tutor Prospectus Example: Guilford County Tutor Recruitment Poster Example: Guilford County Tutor Recruitment Process
Establish selection criteria with observable measures.	Reading: Developing a Tutor Selection Strategy
Set expectations for selection committees to counter implicit biases and prioritize equal and shared opportunity to hire the candidate that fits the tutor responsibilities most accurately.	Website: Implicit Association Test Checklist: Sustaining Institution-Wide Racial Equity Worksheet: Embedding Equity Mindedness

PLANNING FOR LONG TERM

Implement systems that promote ongoing tutor skill development and effectiveness through coaching, feedback, and professional learning.
Explore ways to motivate tutors through recognition and incentives, such as stipends or compensation tied to performance and retention.
Leverage the program as a potential apprenticeship model to develop a pipeline of future teachers, address district staffing needs, and enhance tutor engagement and sustainability.

Tutoring Quality Standards and Self-Assessment Indicators
Take the free, 15-minute, and research-based Local Education Agency (LEA) Self-Assessment. This subsection addresses these tutoring quality standards and Self-Assessment indicators.
Tutor Tutor Recruitment and Selection	The program has a clear recruitment and selection process that results in tutors with the skills and mindsets necessary to be successful in that program.
1a.1 \| A recruitment strategy for recruiting tutors that are from diverse backgrounds and/or are representative of the identities of the students served by your program 1a.2 \| Anti-bias training for talent/recruitment team to help counter implicit biases in the recruitment and hiring process 1a.3 \| A tutor job description that is free from biased language and includes an Equal Opportunity Statement 1a.4 \| A recruitment timeline with clear metrics and deadlines 1a.5 \| A list of attributes (knowledge, skills, and mindsets) necessary for tutors to be effective and successful in their role with an emphasis on growth mindset and commitment to working with children 1a.6 \| An interview process designed to gauge candidate attributes
Safety Safety Protocols	The program has health, physical safety, and emergency management protocols in place to provide an environment conducive to learning and fosters awareness and understanding of the protocols. Note: This standard, as all others, is applicable for both in-person and virtual tutoring programs.
5a.2 \| Thorough background checks and professional reference checks of all tutors before they begin working with students

District Playbook for High-Impact Tutoring