An Online Tutoring Solution for California Community Colleges, Since 2019

On November 1, 2019, four member colleges contributed hours of tutoring coverage using the Pisces® tutoring platform. Local tutor availability was supplemented by NetTutor® to ensure online tutoring was available when students needed help. This marked the launch of STAR-CA.

An image detailing the three basic steps to joining the STAR-CA Consortium. Step 1: Submit a completed PIA. Step 2: Share the names of qualifiying tutors for training. Step 3: Confirm STAR-CA is available in every Canvas course. California Virtual Campus has generously funded the STAR-CA platform Pisces.

A CCC Project Supported by LSI

STAR-CA is an independent consortium of participating California Community Colleges (CCC) and Link-Systems International, Inc. (LSI) where participating colleges share CCC tutoring resources as well as LSI technologies and services.

Decentralized, Yet Highly Coordinated

Program administration is led by LSI. This includes synchronizing and publishing tutor schedules, verifying access to NetTutor and Pisces, providing marketing and promotional materials, monitoring and distributing usage reports, and managing costs. LSI administration also includes tutor training, quality control of tutoring sessions, and technical support.

Why should my college offer online tutoring through STAR-CA?

All students can benefit from having access to quality tutoring at the moment they need help, and online tutoring offers many unique benefits:

  • Meets the accreditation requirements to support students who are taking online courses
  • A solution for non-traditional students who are unable to visit campus for tutoring due to their job or family obligations
  • A resource for students whose subjects are not offered by their on-campus tutoring center
  • A means for students who require assistance when the on-campus tutoring center is closed
  • A practical way of accessing academic support services off campus
  • A more anonymous method for students seeking assistance, as they learn how to ask for academic support

Advantages of Forming an Online Tutoring Consortium

Partnering with California Community Colleges and LSI offers many significant advantages.

  • Using your own tutors is a cost-effective way to offer your students access to online tutoring.
  • By sharing tutors, colleges are able to support online tutoring for more hours and subjects than they would otherwise be able to cover individually.
  • Member colleges maintain autonomy over how tutors are trained and which subjects are offered.
  • Tutoring may only qualify for apportionment if both the students and tutors are from the CCC system.

Who can join?

Any California Community College is welcome to join.

Services Offered

STAR-CA offers live, drop-in tutoring. Students can connect with a live tutor and get private, one-on-one tutoring in real time.

Easy Access for Students

STAR-CA is entirely web-based. Students can access STAR-CA using their desktop computer, laptop, or mobile device. They do not need to download or install any software, as STAR-CA integrates with Canvas through the existing NetTutor access.

Tutor Training

Each college is responsible for providing qualified, trained tutors. Technical training for how to use Pisces is conducted weekly by LSI and aligns with ACTLA Online Tutoring Standards.

Spring 2023 Tutoring Schedule

You can access STAR-CA tutoring by simply logging into Canvas at your college and clicking the link to NetTutor. Students of Star-CA member colleges will see an option to select STAR-CA or NetTutor.

The STAR Model

STAR-CA is modeled after STAR-NY (www.starny.org).

Additional resources:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Presentations

Forms

Flyers