45 minutes with a certified teacher, a skill-by-skill diagnostic, and a written learning plan within two business days — free, with no obligation to enroll.
The Diagnostic
Grades measure output. The diagnostic measures skills — so we can find the exact rung of the ladder where your student's footing slipped.
Letter-sound fluency, sight-word recognition, and read-aloud comprehension on the reading side; counting strategies, place value, and early addition and subtraction on the math side. At this age the diagnostic looks like play — matching games, short passages, manipulatives — because a nervous six-year-old tells you nothing.
Reading fluency measured in words per minute alongside comprehension questions that separate decoding problems from understanding problems. Math covers multiplication facts, fractions, and multi-step word problems — the three places where students in this band most often start falling behind quietly.
Ratio and proportional reasoning, negative numbers, and early equation-solving — the exact skills Algebra 1 assumes. On the humanities side: paragraph structure, evidence use, and reading stamina with grade-level nonfiction. We also screen study habits, because in middle school organization gaps start masquerading as ability gaps.
The diagnostic follows the student's actual coursework — Algebra 2, Chemistry, AP Language — rather than a generic grade-level test. For students eyeing the SAT or ACT, we include a timed mini-section to establish a real baseline score, so any improvement claim we make later starts from an honest number.
After the Assessment
The assessing teacher writes up skill-by-skill findings the same day: what's solid, what's shaky, and what's missing entirely. You get the written learning plan by email within two business days — it's yours to keep whether or not you enroll.
Every plan names a measurable target — 'comfortable with fraction operations by winter break,' 'raise the SAT math baseline from 540 toward 620' — and the sequence of sessions to get there. No vague 'we'll work on math.' Progress reports track against this exact plan.
The plan tells us whether your student fits Core (30-minute, single subject), Standard (60-minute, our most common match), or Intensive (90-minute with test prep). Then we match the tutor by grade band, subject, and learning style — Ms. Brown for a reluctant algebra student is a different call than Mr. Park for a curious-but-disorganized chemistry one.
The First Session
Your tutor arrives having read the assessment write-up. The first session opens on the plan's first gap — not with another round of 'so, what are you working on in school?'
Every session at our Hennepin Ave center ends with a quick parent check-in, and online sessions end with a summary note. After session one you'll hear how the plan held up against reality and whether we're adjusting it.
Sessions are pay-as-you-go — no contracts, cancel anytime with 24 hours' notice. If the first session isn't a fit, tell us and we'll rematch the tutor at no charge.
Assessment FAQ
What Minneapolis parents ask about the placement assessment — or call us at (612) 555-0134.
Yes and no obligation. The 45-minute assessment, the scoring, and the written learning plan are free — the plan is emailed to you within two business days regardless of whether you book a single session. About one in five families takes the plan and works on it at home first, and some come back months later. That's fine with us.
A recent report card or progress report if you have one, any teacher notes or test results (MCA scores, MAP scores, PSAT reports), and — for middle and high schoolers — their current textbook or a recent assignment from the class that's causing trouble. None of it is required, but the more context we have, the sharper the diagnostic.
It's designed not to. There's no grade, no time pressure except the optional SAT/ACT mini-section, and the assessing teacher frames everything as 'show me how you think about this' rather than right or wrong. Younger students usually describe it as playing games with a teacher; older students tend to appreciate that someone finally asked where the confusion actually starts.
Yes. We run online assessments over video with shared screen tools, and they're accurate for grades 3 and up. For K–2nd we strongly recommend coming to our Minneapolis center on Hennepin Ave — early-reader diagnostics depend on physical materials and on watching how a child works, which a webcam only partly captures.
Typically within a week. The learning plan arrives within two business days, we propose a tutor match with it, and most families have their first session on the calendar 5–7 days after the assessment. If you're up against a deadline — finals, a retake, a looming SAT date — tell us at the assessment and we'll prioritize the match.
Book the free 45-minute assessment. A certified teacher runs the diagnostic, you get the written learning plan within two business days, and nobody asks you to sign anything.