Terms of Service

Welcome to Slate ("Slate," "we," "us," or "our"), a software platform for independent tutors, operated by Solomon Caldwell LLC. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Slate website (slatetutor.com) and related services (collectively, the "Service").

By creating an account, checking the box to accept these Terms, or using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

1. Who These Terms Apply To

Slate is designed for two types of users:

• Tutors: independent tutoring professionals who use Slate to run the business side of their tutoring, including billing, scheduling, and client coordination.
• Parents/Guardians: individuals invited by a Tutor to view sessions, schedule, receive updates, and pay for tutoring services on behalf of a student.

Students do not create accounts or directly access the Service. Any reference to "you" or "User" in these Terms refers to Tutors and Parents/Guardians who hold accounts.

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account.

2. Description of the Service

Slate provides tools that help Tutors run their tutoring business, including: creating and sending invoices, collecting payment, tracking sessions and travel time, scheduling and booking (including shareable booking links and a public tutor page), a parent portal for sessions, notes, and resources, session and payment reminders by email and, where enabled, SMS, prepaid packages and cancellation handling, and expense, receipt, and mileage tracking.

Payments are processed through Stripe, a third-party payment processor. Slate does not provide tutoring services itself, is not a party to any agreement between a Tutor and a Parent regarding tutoring services, and does not guarantee the quality, safety, or legality of tutoring services arranged between Users.

3. Accounts

• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity under your account.
• You agree to provide accurate, current information when creating an account.
• Tutors are responsible for the accuracy of billing information, invoices, schedules, session notes, and any student-related information they or a Parent enters into the Service.

4. Payments and Billing

• All payments are processed by Stripe. By using Slate's payment features, you also agree to Stripe's terms of service and privacy policy.
• Slate does not store full payment card numbers; this data is handled directly by Stripe.
• Tutors are solely responsible for setting their own rates, invoicing accurately, honoring their own cancellation and refund policies with Parents, issuing refunds where appropriate, and complying with applicable tax obligations.
• Slate may charge Tutors a subscription or usage fee for the platform, as described at checkout or in your account settings. Any such fees are separate from, and not refundable based on, any dispute between a Tutor and a Parent.
• Failed payments, chargebacks, or disputes between a Tutor and Parent are the responsibility of those parties. Slate may assist by providing transaction records but is not obligated to mediate disputes.
• A Tutor may mark a resource shared through the Service as paid: the Parent must complete payment (via an invoice add-on charge, processed the same as any other payment above) before that resource unlocks. A Tutor may also manually unlock paid content without payment at their discretion.

5. Subscription Terms, Cancellation, and Refunds

• If you subscribe, subscriptions renew automatically on the billing cycle you select unless canceled prior to renewal.
• You may cancel at any time through your account settings or by contacting support@slatetutor.com. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.
• Except where required by law, fees already paid are non-refundable.

6. Scheduling and Bookings

Slate provides scheduling and booking tools, including tutor availability, booking links, and a public tutor page. Tutors are responsible for keeping their availability accurate and for honoring, rescheduling, or canceling bookings with Parents according to their own policies. Slate is not responsible for missed, double-booked, or canceled sessions, and does not guarantee that any booking will occur.

7. Public Tutor Pages and User Content

Tutors may publish a public page (for example at slatetutor.com/t/your-handle) containing information they choose to make public, such as a display name, photo, bio, subjects, services, and prices. You are responsible for the accuracy, rights, and lawfulness of anything you publish or upload. You retain ownership of your content and grant Slate a limited, non-exclusive license to host, display, and distribute it as needed to operate the Service. Do not upload or publish content that is unlawful, infringing, misleading, or that you do not have the right to share. Slate may remove content that violates these Terms.

8. Communications and SMS/Email Consent

By creating an account, you agree to receive service-related communications from Slate (such as account, billing, booking, and security messages).

If you provide a phone number and opt in, you consent to receive transactional text messages (such as session or payment reminders) from Slate or a Tutor through Slate. Message and data rates may apply, message frequency varies, consent is not a condition of purchase, and you can opt out at any time by replying STOP or get help by replying HELP. Tutors who enable SMS are responsible for having the necessary consent from the recipients they message.

9. Student Information Provided by Adults

Parents and Tutors may provide information about a student (such as learning preferences, goals, scheduling notes, or a Tutor's session notes) to help deliver and coordinate tutoring. This information is provided by an adult, not by the student, and students do not access or interact with Slate directly. The person providing it represents that they have the authority to share it. See our Privacy Policy for how this information is handled.

10. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or to bill for services not actually rendered;
• Attempt to bypass Stripe or circumvent Slate's fee structure through fraudulent means;
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Service;
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to another User's account or data;
• Upload malicious files or content, or use the Service to store or share unlawful material;
• Send messages (email or SMS) through the Service without the recipient's required consent;
• Collect information about a student beyond what is reasonably necessary for tutoring, billing, and coordination.

11. Tutor Independence

Tutors using Slate are independent contractors and are not employees, agents, or representatives of Slate or Solomon Caldwell LLC. Slate does not screen, certify, background-check, or endorse any Tutor unless explicitly stated otherwise. Parents are responsible for vetting any Tutor they engage.

12. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or misuse the Service. You may stop using the Service and close your account at any time.

13. Disclaimers

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. Slate does not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure.

14. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Solomon Caldwell LLC and its officers, employees, and affiliates will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, arising from your use of the Service. Our total liability for any claim arising from these Terms or the Service will not exceed the greater of the amount you paid to Slate in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim or one hundred U.S. dollars ($100).

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Solomon Caldwell LLC from any claims, damages, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the Service, your content, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party.

16. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any disputes arising under these Terms will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Florida, and you consent to personal jurisdiction there. Before filing a claim, you agree to first contact us at support@slatetutor.com to try to resolve the matter informally.

17. General

These Terms are the entire agreement between you and Slate regarding the Service and supersede any prior agreements. If any provision is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. You may not assign these Terms without our consent; we may assign them in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. We are not liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control.

18. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you via email or through the Service and update the Effective Date above. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

19. Contact

Questions about these Terms can be sent to support@slatetutor.com.

Slate is operated by Solomon Caldwell LLC.

This document is a template and does not constitute legal advice. Have it reviewed by a licensed attorney familiar with Florida law and your specific business practices before relying on it.