By 6:30 p.m. Los Medanos college is still busy. Students arrive for their evening classes, others finish a shift at work, and some leave their afternoon lectures. But for students who may want help before night classes begin, the tutoring center offers only one message: a sign on the door that says “Closed.” The early closing time may seem reasonable, but it leaves many students without access to support they rely on. LMC should extend tutoring hours into the evening so students who attend night classes or work during the day are not shut out of an academic resource.
It is true that extending tutoring hours could require more staffing, scheduling changes or funding. It is also true that LMC offers online tutoring. But online resources do not replace one-on-one support for students who need real-time, in-person guidance. Most community college students work either part time or full time, and their schedules do not align with current tutoring hours. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, half of students at the state’s public colleges work while enrolled, with community college students more likely to hold jobs requiring daytime shifts. When tutoring at LMC closes at 5 p.m., these students who often commute or must attend night classes lose access.
Their need for help is just as valid as those who can be there during the day. LMC offers evening classes, yet its tutoring centers close at 5 p.m. The Pittsburg Math Tutoring Center, for example, is only open from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on select weekdays, with Brentwood’s center following the same schedule. No in-person support available after 5 p.m., students who attend evening classes cannot receive help before or after class. This creates students having to go home and teach themselves, it draws out the learning time or cuts it short and the material is not properly learned.
Studies show that students who use tutoring services earn higher grades and stay enrolled at higher rates. If tutoring supports student success, limiting its availability for nighttime students undermines the college’s mission. Extending hours doesn’t need to be a heavy cost, rotating the staff or having designated late night shifts could give this opportunity for evening students who need help.
LMC students should not be left out of opportunities because of other obligations preventing them from coming to campus earlier. Extending tutoring hours is a small change that would have a great impact on student achievement. If the college wants all students to succeed, it must bring academic support into the evening.
