Why get certified?

• What are the benefits of earning Schoolhouse.world certifications?

  Certifications let you tutor on Schoolhouse.world. However, they have purposes beyond just tutoring on Schoolhouse. Your certifications also become part of your Schoolhouse.world transcript, which is a great way to demonstrate academic achievement, especially to colleges! Learn more on the Certification Page.Few readers

• What else can my certifications be used for?

  Besides letting you tutor at Schoolhouse, your certifications also allow you to showcase your mastery in math or other topics. Your certifications will go on your transcript (found under the “My Certifications” section of the “Certify” tab), which can be shared online through a convenient link. This transcript is a great way to demonstrate academic achievement, especially to colleges! UChicago, MIT, and Case Western recognize Schoolhouse.world transcripts in their application process–and we areFew readers

Getting Certified

• How do I complete a certification?

  Steps on how to complete a certificationFeatured

• What if I don’t earn 90%––can I try again?

  Few readers

• How long will it take to find out if my certification has been approved?

  You should receive an approval or rejection on your certification request within a week of when you submit your certification request. If you do not receive a message about your certification decision after one week, you may email [email protected]Few readers

• What if I don't have a webcam to record my certifications?

  If you computer does not have a webcam or you are unable to use our certification recording system, you can use two different devices. Use one device to film yourself while completing the certification test and the other to film the certification test (you can screen record your computer screen if possible). Send both video files to [email protected] and an engineer will be able to help you manually submit your certifications.Few readers

• What happens when peer reviewers flag a submission?

  Flagged submissions are reviewed by a team of internal volunteers who investigate the claims made by peer reviewers. If the peer reviewer’s concern is validated, the user will be informed of their violation and asked to resubmit. Cases of dispute or recurring violation will be escalated to our review panel, consisting of experienced educators and high achieving students. This panel will determine the appropriate action, which may include a live audit to assess the user's reported mastery in theFew readers

• Are honorary certifications included on your transcript?

  No. The portfolio/transcript on Schoolhouse is currently designed mainly to be useful to colleges who accept it on their applications (see College Partners on the Partnership pages) and use the portfolio/transcript as a source of more data points on students. Video certifications are an alternative way to demonstrate mastery of subject material, and tutoring statistics show volunteerism and service. Honorary certifications on Schoolhouse are grantedFew readers

• Do I need to complete a certification if I want to tutor in a community/experimental topic?

  color 000000 (No, not necessarily. If you navigate to the "Tutor" tab in your dashboard, click on "Host a Session", click on "Session", and scroll down to the "Community" section under "Topic", you will see a list of options (refer to the images below).Few readers

Trust and Safety

• What happens if someone cheats on a certification?

  Rejection of video with the opportunity to resubmit. Live questioning to validate the applicants content knowledge. Blocklisting from our system, along with invalidation of all certifications earned. Blocklisting incidents will be reported to organizations that inquire about your score.Few readers

• How does Schoolhouse.world verify someone's identity?

  While users abide by an honor statement, their transcript also links to their submission videos so universities can verify identity if they suspect violation of our honor statement.Few readers

• How is cheating prevented?

  All users record themselves with screen-sharing and camera on, following protocols that minimize opportunities for cheating. They must thoroughly explain each problem they solve for the recording, which validates that they are doing the work. Peer reviewers look for suspicious behavior and flag any indication of policy violations. Finally, videos may be subject to further analysis at any time if our board or an inquiring institution has reason to suspect cheating.Few readers

• What steps are taken to avoid implicit bias in the assessment?

  The actual grading is done by Khan Academy’s website. Peer reviewers only verify that users followed protocol by following a narrow checklist of requirements (for example, that users got at least 90% on the assessment and explained their reasoning on questions). Additionally, peer reviewers who flag submissions without reasonable cause will be investigated and potentially removed from the system.Few readers

• How will my privacy be maintained if other users are reviewing my submission?

  You are given a 5-character ID to identify yourself with instead of your full name, so peer reviewers cannot look you up.Few readers

• Can I peer review my friends?

  To avoid bias, peer reviews are randomly assigned to users all over the world.Few readers

Requirements

• What are the different options for certification?

  If you'd like to get certified in a math subject, then you may request a certification by submitting a video of yourself working on the appropriate Khan Academy test. For the SAT and AP subjects, you will instead request an honorary certification by submitting an explanation and documentation of your scores. Certifications are not needed to tutor in Experimental topics, and we no longer grant certifications in Experimental topics.Few readers

• What am I allowed to use while I’m getting certified?

  You are always allowed to use , a device with a webcam, and any other tools that are explicitly asked for on a unit test (such as a calculator). The Khan Academy tests have a built-in drawing tool that you can use to show your work on the screen if you would like. For example, if a calculator, graphing calculator, or a z table are recommended on the unit test, you may use one as long as you explain your work on the Khan Academy certification test qFew readers

• What items are prohibited when I record a certification?

  color 000000 (These items may not be in the room while recording. Headphones/Earbuds Any electronics besides your computer/recording device Sunglasses, or anything unnecessary that covers the face You may only use a calculator when explicitly permitted in the test question. If the question requires a graphing calculator and you do not have one, Desmos can be used instead.)Few readers

• What are the requirements when I record a certification?

  Please record your whole screen. You may only have the following tabs open: Schoolhouse.world, Khan Academy, and Desmos (can only be used when a question allows a graphing calculator). All other tabs are prohibited. You may not have any other applications open except your internet browser. If you want to show your work on the screen, please use Khan Academy's built-in drawing/annotation tool. You may also do your work on a piece of paper, but you must still explain yFew readers

• What if the file I am sending to manually submit certifications is too large?

  In order to manually submit certifications to [email protected], we do need you to send a file. Usually when an email attachment is too large, your email provider will give an option to upload it. For example, Gmail lets you upload it to Google Drive and other email providers often offer something similar. Try using Google Drive, Dropbox, or any similar service. If you're still having trouble, email [email protected] and we will help you.Few readers

• How do Course Challenges work?

  If you get certified in a Course Challenge, that means you're eligible to tutor in any one of the units in the course. There is no need to also get certified within each unit if you've done the Course Challenge.Few readers

• How do you get certified in 'Experimental'?

  Certifications are not currently needed for topics in the “Experimental” category. To tutor in it, you just need to be a tutor on the platform with at least one other certification. When you go to host a session or series in an experimental topic, you’ll need to specify how you’re qualified to host that topic. For example, for “Physics” or “Computer Science”, you might list classes you’ve taken in this subject or relevant tutoring experience.Few readers

• What if I have a disability that prevents me from following one or more of the certification guidelines?

  Please write to us via the Chat feature (located at the bottom-right corner of our Help Desk) and explain your disability, and we will help you find a workaround. Documentation of your disability may be required.Few readers

• Why do I have certifications in all math courses in Live Help?

  color 000000 (We automatically grant you the ability to tutor in all subjects beneath the one of your highest certification (for example, if you get certified in calculus, you will be able to do live help tutoring for every math course below calculus). Live Help rooms aren't for one specific class. If you feel uncomfortable tutoring a certain subject, you can skip that learner in the queue.)Few readers

• Why am I unable to start my certification recording?

  This may happen for various reasons, so the first thing you want to make sure is that you are using a laptop, personal computer, or desktop for the certification. Devices such as iPads and tablets are incompatible. If the problem still persists, first check your settings in System Preferences to make sure that Google Chrome has permission to access your mic and webcam, and permission to share/record your screen. (https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/12932e0820ea8700/image3zfh4Few readers

• What devices and browsers work for certifications?

  Schoolhouse.world offers certifications in a variety of categories, including math subjects, science subjects, and some specific test prep categories. For most math certifications, you have to record yourself solving problems on Khan Academy. In these cases, personal computers, including laptops and desktops, work best for completing certifications. Devices such as iPads and tablets are incompatible with our system for recording the certification videos. Google Chrome is our only officially-suppFew readers

• What should I do if my certification recording fails to upload?

  You should download the video externally onto your computer. On the Upload step of the certification process, you should be able to click the three dots on the video player to download the video. Then, send an email to [email protected] and attach the file of the recording along with an appropriate subject line. The Certification Team should get back to you within a week after they have manually uploaded your video. They will provide instructions for you to finish submitting yourFew readers

• What if I want a pending or completed certification removed?

  You can email [email protected] and our engineer will help you remove any pending or completed certifications you are wanting removed.Few readers

• How do I check what certifications I have completed?

  When you go to your dashboard, you should see these five sections listed towards the top: "Overview", "My Sessions", "My Certifications", "My Tutoring", "My Achievements" Click on "My Certifications" and scroll down to see your completed certifications. You will also be able to see other sections such as your pending certifications, "Start a New Certification" which will allow youFew readers