Can Custody Plans Include Tutoring Sessions?

Education is a key factor in a child’s growth, and academic challenges can sometimes require extra support outside of regular schooling. In cases where children need tutoring, whether due to learning disabilities, academic underperformance, or simply the desire for additional academic enrichment, it is not uncommon for parents to include provisions about tutoring in their custody plans. This helps ensure that the child’s educational needs are met consistently across both households, and that both parents remain engaged in their child’s academic success. While not every custody plan will address tutoring directly, it can be an important component, especially when the child’s academic development is a priority for both parents.

Can Custody Plans Include Tutoring Sessions?

Education and Child’s Best Interests

Custody plans are primarily designed to prioritize the best interests of the child, which includes their education. If a child has specific educational needs, whether related to academic challenges, special needs, or learning disabilities, including provisions for tutoring or academic support in the custody plan can ensure that these needs are met. In some cases, the court may even order educational support services if one parent is found to be neglecting the child’s academic development.

Tutoring as a Part of the Parenting Plan

A parenting plan can include specific details about tutoring sessions, including:

• Who arranges the tutoring: The plan can specify which parent is responsible for setting up the tutoring sessions (e.g., one parent schedules sessions, or both parents collaborate on this).
• Location of tutoring: The plan may address where tutoring will take place—whether at a specific learning center, online, or at one of the parent’s homes.
• Frequency and duration: The plan can specify how often the child will attend tutoring (e.g., once a week, twice a week) and for how long (e.g., 30 minutes, 1 hour).
• Educational goals: The plan may outline academic goals that the tutoring is meant to achieve, such as improving grades in a specific subject or helping the child with specific learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia, ADHD).

Co-Parenting and Academic Support

In shared custody arrangements, it is important for both parents to be aligned in their commitment to supporting the child’s education. This means that both parents should be involved in decisions about tutoring, including which subject areas the child might need help with, which tutoring services to use, and how they will share responsibilities in supporting their child’s academic needs.

For example, if one parent has more availability during the week to take the child to tutoring, the parenting plan might specify that parent’s role in arranging transportation. The other parent might be responsible for monitoring progress or attending meetings with the tutor.

Tutoring for Children with Special Needs

If a child has special educational needs (e.g., autism, learning disabilities, ADHD), the custody plan may include specific provisions related to the child’s educational support, such as:

• Specific learning accommodations or modifications recommended by a specialist or educational plan.
• Access to tutors trained in working with children with special needs, such as speech therapists or tutors specializing in learning disabilities.
• Regular communication between both parents and the child’s educational professionals to monitor progress and adjust the tutoring approach as necessary.

Consistency Across Households

Including tutoring sessions in the custody plan can help ensure that the child receives consistent academic support in both homes. For example, if the child needs help with math, and the custody arrangement involves alternating weeks between parents, the tutoring sessions might be scheduled in such a way that the child can attend tutoring during the week they are with one parent and receive follow-up assistance with the other parent. This ensures that both homes are supportive of the child’s academic success and that there is no disruption in the child’s educational progress.

Legal Considerations and Court-Ordered Tutoring

If a child is significantly behind academically or has learning disabilities, and one parent is not providing adequate educational support, a court may order that tutoring be part of the custody arrangement. In such cases, the court may provide specific guidelines about the type of tutoring, frequency of sessions, and how the tutoring should be delivered. While parents can agree to tutoring without court intervention, a judge may include tutoring as a requirement if the child’s educational needs are deemed essential for their well-being.

Communication Between Parents and Tutors

Custody plans that include tutoring sessions should ideally also outline how the parents will communicate with each other and with the tutor. This can include:

• Regular updates from the tutor regarding the child’s progress.
• Sharing feedback about how the child is responding to tutoring or any changes in the child’s academic needs.
• Collaborative discussions on adjusting tutoring methods if necessary.

This ensures that both parents remain informed and engaged in their child’s academic progress and are both on the same page in supporting the child’s educational goals.

Flexibility in Custody Plans

Although custody plans may specify tutoring sessions, they should also provide room for flexibility. For example, if the child’s academic needs change or if the tutoring proves to be ineffective, the parents may need to revisit the arrangement. Custody plans can be modified over time to accommodate the child’s evolving educational requirements, which may include adjusting the frequency of tutoring sessions, changing tutors, or incorporating additional forms of academic support (e.g., after-school programs or special education services).

Example:

Situation

A 10-year-old child is struggling with reading comprehension and math, which is affecting their performance at school. Both parents are concerned about their child’s academic progress and agree that tutoring is needed. The child’s school recommends a reading tutor, and both parents are open to the idea of tutoring but have differing views on logistics and costs.

Steps the parents can take:

• Collaborate on Tutoring Decision: The parents agree that tutoring will be beneficial and discuss options for selecting a tutor. They consult the child’s school for recommendations and look for a tutor with experience in helping children with reading difficulties.
• Formalize in Parenting Plan: The parents incorporate the tutoring plan into their parenting schedule. They agree on which parent will handle the logistics of scheduling sessions and where the tutoring will take place. For example, one parent agrees to take the child to tutoring on weekdays, while the other parent will review the child’s progress and attend parent-teacher meetings.
• Set Expectations for Frequency: The parenting plan specifies that the child will attend tutoring twice a week for an hour each session. The tutoring schedule will be flexible enough to accommodate the child’s schoolwork and extracurricular activities.
• Regular Communication: The parents agree to maintain communication with the tutor to monitor the child’s progress. After each session, the tutor provides a brief update to both parents on the child’s improvements or areas that still need work.
• Review and Modify Plan if Necessary: After a few months, the parents evaluate the child’s academic progress and decide whether the tutoring arrangement is working. If the child is making progress, they may decide to continue with the same plan. If not, they might adjust the frequency of sessions or consider a different approach.

By including tutoring sessions in the custody arrangement, both parents ensure that their child receives the academic support they need and remain actively involved in supporting their child’s educational development. This collaborative approach also promotes consistency and stability across both homes, which is crucial for the child’s well-being.