Lay academic foundations today that power student success for years to come.

Yes. Instruction is planned around your student's actual coursework and needs, coordinated directly with you (and the classroom teacher, if that's helpful), rather than relying on outside knowledge of what a district "teaches," since that varies teacher to teacher and shifts annually. Most of the students I currently work with attend Lake Washington School District schools, so I stay especially current there, but this approach works the same regardless of your district. I also work with homeschool families, aligning instruction with Common Core and NGSS to stay on pace with (or ahead of) grade-level benchmarks, or complementing whatever curriculum you're already using.

I work with students from preschool through 12th grade as a preschool tutor, elementary school tutor, middle school tutor, and high school tutor. This includes IB and AP-level coursework. Instruction is aligned to Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), with learning progressions built years ahead of grade-level expectations. I may work with college students and adults depending on subject level; discuss this with me at the consultation.

All three. Sessions are available in-home or in-person in Kirkland, WA, or online for families anywhere in the Eastside Seattle area and beyond. In-home sessions add a travel fee based on driving distance — no fee within 5 miles or at a convenient location, $5 for 5–10 miles, $10 for 10–15 miles. Online sessions have no travel fee.

Consultations are always held online or in a public place, for the safety of both you and your family. In-home sessions are available for future sessions.

Yes. Summer is one of the most effective times to work with a tutor, since students don't have a full course load. Sessions can focus on closing gaps, preventing summer learning loss (the "summer slide"), and ensuring a seamless transition as your student enters the next grade.

Yes. As someone with ADHD myself, I have a personal connection to neurodiversity and tailor instruction for students with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism, giftedness, twice exceptionality (2E), and other learning differences (also called learning disabilities). This includes students with an IEP or 504 plan; I'm familiar with special education processes and additionally offer to attend IEP meetings to ensure all members of your student's support team communicate effectively. I additionally provide strategies parents can use at home. I also support students with 504 plans — helping families advocate so accommodations actually happen day to day, and building the executive function strategies (organization, time management, self-monitoring) that many 504 plans are built around. If you suspect your student may need a 504 but aren't sure where to start, I'm happy to talk through what the process typically looks like.

Yes. I was a Full-Time Quest student myself in Lake Washington School District's Highly Capable Program, so I know these programs from the inside — the pacing, the accelerated coursework, and the specific ways a bright student can still struggle. Districts label this differently: Highly Capable or HiCap, HCP, Quest, gifted and talented, and advanced learning all describe overlapping programs. I also work with gifted students who aren't in a formal program at all. Being identified as gifted and being accepted into a program aren't the same thing, and plenty of students who would benefit from accelerated work never end up in one. I differentiate instruction around what a student actually needs, not what a placement decision says. That includes twice-exceptional (2E) students, whose giftedness sits alongside ADHD, dyslexia, autism, or another learning difference. 2E is missed constantly: strong performance in one area masks real difficulty in another, and asynchronous development — being years ahead in one domain and behind in another — gets read as inconsistency rather than as a pattern worth looking into. I wasn't identified as having ADHD myself until I was nearly an adult, which is part of why I look for it.

Literacy, mathematics, science, and Academic Success Coaching for high schoolers. Every subject uses current, evidence-based methods, including Science of Reading–based literacy instruction and math instruction on a learning trajectory, plus executive function coaching woven into every session regardless of subject. For other subjects, discuss with me at the free consultation first.

It depends on your goal. I can't guarantee score increases, but I can strengthen content understanding — especially in math, where I already teach the problem-solving strategies that build speed, accuracy, and confidence under timing pressure. For literacy and science, I don't teach dedicated test-taking tactics, but can build a plan around the specific skills those sections measure. See individual subject pages for more details, or we'll talk through fit at your free consultation.

Foundations First is a self-run, 1-on-1 service, not a franchise with rotating staff. You work directly with me (Alissa) every session, building a consistent, personal relationship and a plan tailored specifically to your student.

Yes. Sliding-scale rates are based on household size and income, with no tax documents required — just a short, private conversation. Availability depends on how many reduced-rate spots are filled at the time you ask. Short-term pro-bono sessions or scholarships may be available for those with both documented financial and academic need, and families able to pay above the standard rate can choose a Supporter rate that helps fund reduced spots for others. Don't let pricing be the reason for never reaching out. View the rate chart or ask during your free consultation.