Math Tutoring in Portola Valley
One-on-one math tutoring for Portola Valley students, built around Corte Madera's pathways and the math ladders at Woodside High and Woodside Priory, at your kitchen table or online.
Free 30-minute assessment · First-session guarantee
Corte Madera's three math pathways
Corte Madera places students in one of three math pathways in grades 6 to 8: Regular, Compacted and Advanced. First placement comes from spring assessments given to all fifth graders, plus teacher recommendation and state test scores. Students are reassessed at the end of sixth and seventh grade, and the school describes placement as fluid, with moves possible even within a school year. Over the summer, students may need to review concepts or complete additional chapters if advancement is suggested.
The district's pathway chart shows where each path leads. Regular reaches Algebra in ninth grade. Compacted reaches Algebra 1 in eighth grade and Geometry in ninth. Advanced takes Algebra 1 in seventh grade, Geometry in eighth and Algebra II/Trigonometry in ninth. The chart is dated 2015, so treat the course names as a guide and ask the school for this year's.
The school asks parents to trust the math department on placement, and says the goal is challenge without overstressing the child.
Sources (checked October 2026): Corte Madera Middle School Math Pathways, PVSD Grades 6-8 pathway chart, Corte Madera Mathematics.
Woodside High's math ladder
Woodside High, in the Sequoia Union district, is the high school many Portola Valley families look at. The district places ninth graders in math by prior-year coursework. Woodside's 2026-27 catalog lists Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Algebra II/Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB and BC, and Cañada College courses in multivariable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations taught on campus. Woodside does not offer IB.
The catalog suggests these grades before moving up:
- Algebra II/Trigonometry, which the catalog calls an acceleration of Algebra II and a bridge to AP Calculus AB: Algebra 1 and Geometry with a B or better.
- AP Calculus AB: a B or better in Pre-Calculus or Algebra II/Trig.
- AP Calculus BC: a C or better in AP Calculus AB. A community college Math 251 does not fulfill the prerequisite.
- AP Statistics: a B or better in Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus or Algebra II/Trig. Statistics courses are not recommended for eleventh graders who plan four years of math.
Algebra I is open in grades 9, 10 and 11, and the district requires every student to pass it to graduate.
Sources (checked October 2026): Woodside High 2026-27 course catalog, Sequoia Union ninth grade course FAQ.
Grades, retakes and help at Woodside
Woodside's math department uses its own grading scale and publishes retake rules that differ by course. In Algebra 1 and Geometry, a student under 80% can retake for a maximum of 80%. In Algebra 2, a student under 75% can retake one week after the test is returned, capped at 75%. The department also lists free Varsity Tutoring, available around the clock by chat.
Knowing the cap matters at the start of the year: a retake can rescue a score, but not past the ceiling.
Sources (checked October 2026): Woodside High Mathematics, Woodside Mathematics Department Grading Scale.
Woodside Priory's math policy
New upper school students at Priory take a placement test. The typical progression is Geometry in ninth grade, leading to calculus in senior year. Priory's upper school requires three years of math, at a minimum through Algebra II.
The school's math policy is specific about moving up. To enter the next course at the honors level, a student needs an A in the current regular class or a B+ in the current honors class, for both semesters. Summer acceleration is allowed only for Geometry or Precalculus, so Algebra 1 and 2 cannot be skipped. It needs a UC-approved program, approval from the upper school math chair before the summer, and a mastery test. Passing the course alone is not enough.
Priory lists the grades each course expects. Algebra II Honors needs a B+ in Geometry Honors or an A in Geometry. Precalculus Honors needs an A in Algebra II or a B+ in Algebra II Honors.
Sources (checked October 2026): Priory course catalog, Priory upper school math courses, Priory math policy.
How we work with Portola Valley students
Many Portola Valley students have spent four years on one small campus. The move to a larger high school, with a different grading scale and a different way of placing students, is where a quiet gap in math can show up. We start from your student's own course, teacher and what is due this week. We never promise a placement or a score. Those decisions belong to the school, and we will tell you honestly what we see.
See in-home tutoring in Portola Valley for how we work in town, math tutoring across the Peninsula, and executive functioning coaching in Portola Valley if planning and follow-through are the real problem.
What happens when you reach out
- Tell us what is going on. A free 30-minute conversation about your student, their school and what you want to change. Text, call or book a time.
- We choose the right person, usually within a week. Our founder proposes the educator, a written plan and a weekly time, and you meet them before the first session. If a match will take longer, we say so on the call.
- You see it working. 60 minutes a week at your kitchen table or online, and a written update after every session, so you are never guessing. On a Membership or Semester, a monthly progress check-in with our founder.
Membership from $275 a week in your home, $215 online, and less on a Semester. See pricing.
If your student isn't happy after the first session, you don't pay for it.
Questions from Portola Valley families
Can my child change math pathways at Corte Madera?
The school describes placement as fluid. Students are reassessed at the end of sixth and seventh grade, and moves are possible even within a school year.
Is the Regular pathway a problem for calculus later?
Regular students reach Algebra in ninth grade. Woodside offers Algebra I in grades 9 to 11, and its Algebra II/Trigonometry course, which bridges to AP Calculus AB, suggests Algebra 1 and Geometry with a B or better. We can look at where your student stands and tell you honestly what is realistic.
Can my Priory student skip ahead over the summer?
Only in Geometry or Precalculus, and only with a UC-approved program, advance approval from the upper school math chair and a mastery test. Algebra 1 and 2 cannot be skipped.
What happens after a bad test at Woodside?
Retake rules differ by course. In Algebra 1 and Geometry, a score under 80% can be retaken for a maximum of 80%. In Algebra 2, a score under 75% can be retaken a week after the test is returned, capped at 75%.
Do you come to our home in Portola Valley?
Yes. Sessions happen at your kitchen table or your student's desk anywhere in Portola Valley, or online if that suits your family better. Many families mix the two.
What does math tutoring in Portola Valley cost?
A Membership is $275 a week in your home or $215 online, for a weekly 60-minute session. Commit through the end of the term and it is $260 or $200 a week; pay-as-you-go Flex is $300 or $240 a session. Every price and term is on the pricing page.
What families say
From our reviews page.
Aidan has been an excellent math tutor for my son.
Let's look at where the math stands
A free 30-minute conversation about your student's course and what comes next. We will tell you honestly if we are the right fit.