Eagle Point SD 9 reviews year-long Paper tutoring pilot as board weighs expansion and cost options

Alex Polomares, the district staff member leading the Paper tutoring pilot, told the Eagle Point School District Board on April 12 that the program has produced student testimonials and measurable but declining use since its October rollout.

Polomares described Paper as a 24/7 online tutoring service offering live-chat tutoring, writing reviews and game-like math "missions." He reported 2,723 live activities year-to-date, roughly 508 teacher-hours of complementary support, and 464 individual students who used the service at least once — about 38% utilization of the 1,200 licenses purchased for the pilot. Polomares said most usage was by seniors and in math classes and that some sessions occurred in the early hours of the morning.

The presentation included a student testimonial: “My sophomore year, I was a 0 point the assignments that are going on at my school... If that failed, I'm now a 3.4 student,” an unidentified student said, describing how Paper helped retake and pass classes.

Board members pressed staff on two recurring problems: technical glitches during the initial rollout on iPads, which limited early adoption, and recent declines in active usage after an initial spike. Polomares acknowledged those implementation issues, said the service uses live tutors not AI, and noted some tutors work internationally. He said writing-review turnaround is typically fast and that sessions are saved and accessible if a device disconnects.

Polomares presented two pricing models for next year: the current Paper Unlimited plan (fixed-cost unlimited access) and a planned "Paper Personalized" usage-based option that caps costs and charges by session. He estimated Paper Unlimited for 1,200 students would cost roughly $76,000 annually; Paper Personalized could be approximately $42,800 to $60,000 depending on use. For a district expansion to 2,000 students, he estimated about $126,000 under unlimited vs. about $60,000 under a personalized plan.

Board members suggested immediate remedies to increase use — targeted teacher training and classroom implementation, mandating use during NEST or study halls early in the school year, and outreach to parents. Several trustees asked staff to press Paper for credits or a temporary extension, noting the district paid for a year in which rollout problems depressed early adoption.

Polomares said he had organized local incentives and a student raffle to encourage use; he showed prize winners and said he would continue promotional efforts. He recommended giving the new usage-based plan another year, with increased teacher incentives and clearer rollout strategies for the next school year.

The board asked for follow-up data, including current counts of failing freshmen and seniors who need to graduate, and requested staff try to secure credits or a short free extension from Paper to cover the period affected by rollout problems. The board also discussed expanding access to additional middle-school teachers next year pending SIA-grant plan changes.

Polomares concluded by offering to provide follow-up analytics and training support; trustees thanked him for the work and asked for added outreach to families and a district-level instructional video or link to help students and parents access the service.