Outschool Customer Service — Expert Guide for Parents and Teachers

Overview and official channels

Outschool (https://outschool.com) is a marketplace connecting independent teachers with learners in K–12 and lifelong learning niches. The company was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area; its public support portal is at https://support.outschool.com/hc/en-us. All formal customer-service requests and knowledge-base lookups should begin at that support site — it contains up-to-date FAQs, billing guides, and in-app troubleshooting steps.

Primary support flows are asynchronous: users file a ticket via the help center or the in‑app “Contact Support” link and track progress via email. For safety or harassment reports, Outschool prioritizes those tickets; parents and teachers should use the “Report” or “Contact Support” option immediately and include class ID, screenshots, and timestamps to accelerate triage.

Response times, SLAs, and typical resolution windows

Best-practice customer-service targets on marketplaces like Outschool are: first response within 24 hours for standard tickets and within 1–4 hours for safety, abuse, or payment-stopping issues. In practice, Outschool’s model is asynchronous, so expect most standard queries (billing, schedule changes, account access) to receive a substantive reply within 24–48 hours and final resolution within 72 hours for non-technical problems.

Refund and cancellation handling is frequently automated: when a teacher cancels a scheduled session, the platform typically issues a refund to the buyer within 24–72 hours. For disputes or appeals (for example, a parent disputing teacher conduct), escalation to a human specialist commonly extends timelines to 5–10 business days while evidence is gathered and safety checks are performed.

Common issues and step-by-step resolution checklist

• Billing, chargebacks, and refunds — Provide the class title, class ID, purchase date, transaction ID (from your Outschool receipt), last four digits of the card, and a screenshot of the charge. Expect an initial acknowledgement within 24 hours; automated refunds from teacher cancellations typically post within 48–72 hours to the original payment method.
• Class cancellations and rescheduling — Confirm whether the teacher cancelled or the platform did. If the teacher cancelled, Outschool generally processes a refund automatically and offers help rebooking. If the student missed a session, check the teacher’s published make-up policy (many teachers charge for missed single sessions while offering bundles or prorated credits).
• Account access and security — Include your account email, username, the last successful login date/time, and any error messages. For suspected account compromise, change your password immediately, enable any available two-factor options, and contact Support with “URGENT: Account Compromise” in the subject line.
• Quality and conduct complaints — Collect class ID, timestamps, chat logs or recordings (if available), and a concise chronology of events. Expect an initial safety triage within 24 hours and a full review that may take up to 10 business days depending on the evidence and whether an instructor needs to be temporarily removed during investigation.

Escalation, policy enforcement, and safety practices

Outschool enforces community guidelines and Terms of Service that require teachers to follow class rules, maintain appropriate content, and disclose necessary credentials. When evidence indicates a significant policy violation (safety, abuse, or illegal activity), the platform will typically: 1) remove the listing or suspend the instructor, 2) issue provisional refunds to enrolled families, and 3) open a formal investigation. Documentation is kept in the ticket record for legal and compliance purposes.

For parents, the fastest path to escalation is to submit a ticket with “Safety” in the subject line and provide concrete evidence. For teachers, appeal routes and evidence submission are available via the same support portal; prepare verifiable lesson plans, student communications, and attendance records when disputing claims.

How parents should prepare before contacting support

To reduce back-and-forth and accelerate resolution, include these items in your initial message: your full name, child’s name, class title and class ID, purchase receipt or transaction ID, exact date/time of the session in question (include time zone), and clear screenshots of problematic interactions. Use plain, numbered bullet points if listing multiple incidents; support agents process structured information much faster.

If you need a refund or rebooking, state your preferred remedy explicitly (refund, credit, or rebooking) and provide any acceptable windows for rescheduling. Typical follow-up questions from support involve verification of identity and confirmation of requested outcomes, so anticipate a short verification step before the substantive resolution.

How teachers should engage with support and manage payouts

Independent instructors should keep records for each class: attendance logs, lesson materials, parent communications, and cancellation policies. When a parent complains, submit your response via the same ticket thread and attach your evidence. If the complaint may trigger a platform investigation, ask support for a timeline and an outlined appeals process.

Regarding payments and tax documentation, teachers are typically required to supply valid tax information (for example, a W‑9 in the U.S.) and confirm payout banking details. Payout timing varies by region and payment processor; a reasonable expectation is that once a payout is initiated it reaches the recipient’s bank within 3–7 business days, though platform hold periods for new teachers or disputed transactions can extend this window.

Operational KPIs and tools for a high-performing Outschool customer service

Key metrics to track for marketplace support are: First Reply Time (target <24 hours), Average Resolution Time (target <72 hours for non-safety tickets), CSAT (target ≥4.5/5), NPS (target +30 or higher), and Ticket Escalation Rate (target <5%). For safety-focused platforms, track Time-to-Triage for safety incidents (target <4 hours) and percentage of cases closed with documented remediation steps.

Typical tools that deliver results include a knowledge base (Help Center), a ticketing system (Zendesk, Freshdesk), templated workflows for refunds and cancellations, and automated in-app messaging to push key status updates. Combine automation for standard cases with rapid human escalation for safety, payments, and legal issues to preserve both efficiency and trust.

How to give a refund on Outschool?

Before you’re paid for the class section, you should use the “change enrollment” button in your sections to issue these refunds. If you’ve already been paid, please contact Support at https://outschool.com/help to issue the refunds and send back any necessary funds to Outschool.

How much do most teachers make on Outschool?

Average Outschool Teacher hourly pay in California is approximately $27.39, which is 33% above the national average.

Where is Outschool located?

San Francisco, California
Outschool, Inc. is an American online marketplace of virtual classes for children. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

How do I cancel my subscription to Outschool?

Canceling Your Membership
To cancel an enrollment, go to the Enrolled tab, visit the classroom management page for the class, and select Withdraw. This will immediately end your learner’s enrollment and remove their access to the class.

How do I contact Outschool support?

Email us at [email protected].

How do I contact tutor com?

800-411-1970
Please reach out to us via our Contact page or call us at 800-411-1970. We’re available Monday–Friday from 8 a.m.–midnight, and Saturday–Sunday from 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Eastern Time.