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DC Families Choose
Kids Up Reading Tutors

Families across Washington, DC—from Barnaby Woods to Capitol Hill to the Palisades—choose Kids Up Reading Tutors for evidence-based instruction that builds strong reading and spelling skills - fast.  

 

Our reading (dyslexia) and spelling (dysgraphia) tutors use the Science of Reading and Orton-Gillingham to help students in grades 1–12 catch up, build confidence and learn to enjoy reading and spelling. Whether your child is homeschooled or attends DCPS or one of DC’s great private schools, our 1-on-1 online sessions will help your child become a fluent reader, good speller and confident student.

Our Guarantee

Try it for a week. Love it or it’s on us!

"His teacher says he is doing extremely well, absolutely on track, and that she never, ever would have imagined that he was behind grade level expectations last year."

  Second Grade, Chevy Chase, DC

Washington, DC high school student enjoying his tutoring session

Our Program

Grades1–12
Format 1-on-1 sessions, dedicated tutor, Zoom. Why Zoom? 
GoalCatch up to grade level in months, not years
Approach:  Science of Reading and Orton-Gillingham
Schedule:  Before, during or after school and weekends

Pricing: See our pricing and hourly rates

Why DC families choose our reading tutors:

  • Evidence-based instruction with Orton-Gillingham+

  • Kids & teens get caught up ASAP

  • Flexible scheduling

Erica Zaritsky

2025-11-10

My daughter, Jordan, is in 3rd grade and has made incredible progress with Kids Up Reading Tutors! Her reading, writing, and spelling have improved so much since starting sessions. She even earned an A on her recent spelling test—including words they hadn’t practiced during tutoring! We began tutoring to support her dyslexia and strengthen her phonics and phonological awareness skills. The Orton-Gillingham–based approach has been amazing for her fluency, confidence, and overall love of reading. We live in Bethesda, MD, and couldn’t find any local tutors with the same level of specialization or structured approach that Kids Up offers. The online tutoring format has been incredibly convenient and engaging—it truly feels just as personal and effective as in-person sessions. We are SO grateful for the progress Jordan has made and for how much she now enjoys reading and learning. We couldn’t recommend Kids Up Reading Tutors more highly!

Trevor Kruse

2025-09-02

We’ve had an amazing experience with Kids Up Reading Tutors. My daughter Peyton, who is going into 6th grade, has always struggled with reading fluency and comprehension, and reading was something she dreaded. We had tried other tutors in the past with little success, so I was skeptical at first. This summer completely changed everything. Peyton now picks up a book and reads for fun, which still blows my mind! Her confidence has skyrocketed, and the progress she’s made in just a few months has been incredible. We live in Minnesota and do all of her sessions through online tutoring, which has been so convenient for our schedule. Peyton absolutely loves working with Savanah, and that connection has made a huge difference. The Orton-Gillingham–based instruction and personalized approach are exactly what she needed. I’m so grateful to Daniela and the whole Kids Up Reading Tutors team for creating a program that truly changes lives. If you’re looking for help with dyslexia, fluency, reading comprehension, or spelling challenges, I can’t recommend them enough. Virtual tutoring has been a game-changer for us, and this has been by far the most effective support we’ve found.

Sabrina Mocquery

2025-08-28

I highly recommend Kids Up Reading Tutors for any family navigating reading challenges! We live in Northern Virginia, and our children have been working with Kids Up Reading Tutors for the past year. Our 3rd grader struggled with reading fluency since kindergarten. The structured, Orton-Gillingham-based approach that Daniela and her tutors use made a noticeable difference within just a few weeks, and within a few months, he was reading fluently and enjoying books at his grade level. It has also been a great help for spelling. We enrolled our kindergartener in tutoring through the summer to establish a solid foundation in reading fluency and comprehension before entering 1st grade. The tutors are great, and the lessons are tailored to each child’s progress. But above all, the sessions are online through Zoom. I was a little skeptical at first, but it runs seamlessly and makes everything so much more practical. My only regret is not having found them before third grade!

Julia Gonzalez Curtolo

2025-08-07

We are happy to have found this excellent group of professionals, who are highly qualified and trained to work with children using the Orton-Gillingham method. For several months now, we have been working on my 8-year-old son’s reading and writing difficulties. We started in the middle of his second grade year. It’s incredible how much progress he’s made since he started taking weekly online private lessons with the same teacher. We understand that it’s very important for him to have a learning routine with the same person, so he can maintain his learning bond and progress more quickly. Having online classes has helped tremendously in keeping up with the pace of the lessons and ensuring we have several sessions each week. We’ve been able to keep them even while traveling, on vacation, and during our daily routine, when it’s often easier for everyone to connect online from home. We’ve really grown fond of their teacher and hope to meet her in person someday. Thank you so much for everything! Julia. Bethesda, Maryland

Candace Campbell

2025-08-06

My family has been using Kids Up Reading Tutors for over two years and we have seen amazing results! Our daughter is in college and has had reading and spelling challenges most of her life b/c of her autism. Her reading fluency and comprehension have improved substancially. We all love the virtual online tutoring b/c it doesn't involve us having to get in the car and drive to a session. My daughter can participate from home in her room on her laptop. The tutors are so friendly and they give detailed reports of progress each week which help us as parents stay involved. Throughout our reading journey, We have tried countless tutoring programs and the Kids Up Reading Tutors program has been the most successful by far. Many thanks to Daniela and Crystal.

Kevin Miller

2025-07-02

Nice instructors and focused approach on helping the kids make progress. Recommend if your kids are struggling with phonological awarenesss.

Mark Fissel

2025-06-23

If you haven't worked with "Kids Up" and you are seeking professional tutors that have a proven track record, you are in the right place. My wife and I live in Ohio with 4 kids - Daniella and her team have made a ton of improvement with two of them, with one already graduating from the program. Contact Kids Up, you will be very pleased with your decision!

Google Rating

5

Based on

Dyslexia & Dysgraphia Tutoring for Washington, DC Families

If your child or teen is behind their peers, you want results quickly. As a reading and spelling tutor for DC's busy families, our intensive, targeted program builds the skills that drive rapid improvement in school performance and confidence. Online delivery means no traffic and flexible scheduling, so your child or teen can do more frequent sessions and get caught up more quickly.


Many parents choose 3 or more sessions per week for several months to help their child or teen close the gap as quickly as possible.  Let's discuss a schedule that works for your family to get your child on track, even with a busy calendar.

How it Works 

1. Free 30-Minute
Intro Call

Get answers to all of your questions on a friendly call.

2. 1-Hr Screeners

We'll check your student's phonological and phonics skills and match you with a tutor.

3. Tutoring Sessions

Systematic, explicit instruction targeted to the skills your student needs to learn. 

4. Follow Along

Check your student's Progress Chart and receive weekly updates.​

5. Celebrate

See your child/teen's confidence grow in reading and spelling!

Kids Up Reading Tutors works with:

  • Families in AU Park, Barnaby Woods, Chevy Chase, Cleveland Park, Georgetown, Tenleytown, the Palisades and other DC neighborhoods
     

  • Students who are homeschooled, or at Beauvoir, the British International School, Eaton, Georgetown Day, Hearst, Janney, Key, Lowell, Mann, Maret, Murch, Lafayette, Washington Yu Ying and other DC schools!

Our founder, Daniela, sent her kids to Eaton, Deal, the German School, Jackson-Reed and St. John's, so she understands the challenges and opportunities of being students and families in the DC public and private schools.

2nd grade girl in Washington, DC working with her dyslexia tutor over Zoom.webp
young girl working with her online Reading Tutor

Designed for Zoom, Built for Results

Our program was created specifically for Zoom, with one-on-one sessions that keep students engaged and learning. Flexible scheduling means more frequent sessions and quicker progress. Learn more in Why Our Online Tutoring Works So Well.

Our private reading tutors incorporate fun activities like:

  • Phonological word play that strengthens sound skills

  • Decoding nonsense words on an O-G blending board

  • Fluency practice with engaging series like Diary of a Pug

Our Zoom Guarantee: Try it for a week.  Love it, or it's on us!

"Our 7 year old son was behind in reading and Kids Up has greatly increased his reading confidence.  We noticed improvement quickly and he was catching up to his peers in only a few months.  He now reads for fun!"

Second Grade, Palisades,  D.C.

Girl in DC reads a book

Frequently asked questions

Let's Come Up With a Plan.

Schedule Your Free 30-Minute Call and Demo Here

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Reading Tutors
For DC Families

Reading in Months. Confidence for Life.

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