Todd Crabtree has opened another Sylvan Learning Center. 

The tutoring center, at 601 Glenoaks Blvd. in Burbank, is the ninth location operated by Crabtree’s company, Southern California Learning Corp. 

The company has been growing in the San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley areas, Crabtree said. 

He launched his chain of centers with a store in San Marino in 2014. It was followed by the opening of a Pasadena center a few years later. 

“When the pandemic struck, a franchisee in Glendale wanted to retire and focus on real estate, so I acquired the Glendale store,” Crabtree said. “Burbank seemed to be the next territory.”

The retail side of the business is the core revenue generator. 

“A vast majority of our customers are parents seeking to get their kids support in reading, mathematics and college preparation,” Crabtree said. 

The business model is selling sessions to the parents who can then divide them up in any way they see fit, he added.

“If a parent comes in and buys 200 sessions she is going to get a very nice discount,” Crabtree said. “She can divide those sessions between her two or three kids if she wants, she can give it all to one child, she can use half of it for reading, half of it for math. She can break it up (in any way she wants).” 

The cost of classes vary from location to location, but in general cost $50 per session for personalized tutoring and homework help; $900 for ACT and SAT group classes; and $200 for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and academic camp tutelage. 

In addition to the retail side of the business, the company also works with school districts. 

“There is quite a large public contracting opportunity,” Crabtree said. “If you are organized for it, I know plenty of learning center franchisees, from Sylvan and other franchises, who won’t even dip their toe in because they cannot handle that part of it.” 

His centers, which include locations in Gardena, Westlake Village, Northridge and Torrance, contract with about 15 school districts, he added.