Beyond the Classroom: LA’s Struggle for Educational Equity
Within the diverse landscape of Los Angeles, education remains a pivotal battleground for equity. Despite ongoing state efforts to reform the educational system, persistent imbalances persist, particularly impacting economically disadvantaged students from marginalized communities. Research consistently reveals that academic success is compromised for children attending high-poverty schools. Moreover, black students are twice as likely as white students to attend high-poverty schools and five times more likely to attend highly segregated schools. Recent disruptions, notably COVID-19, have exacerbated these issues, heavily affecting schools, attendance, and enrollment rates. The Brookings Institution reports a problematic trend, with 125 schools in the LA district experiencing a decline in enrollment of at least 20% between 2029 and 2021, disproportionately affecting high-poverty areas compared to middle-class neighborhoods. Yvonne Chan, board president of the Los Angeles County Office of Education, says, "We're only at the beginning of recovery."
The pandemic brought massive difficulties to students nationwide, with researchers predicting that schools won't fully recover from the COVID-19 absenteeism crisis until 2030. California, due to its large population, had one of the most significant enrollment losses of 20% in over 1,400 schools during the pandemic. Wealthier, mainly white families often relocated from districts to private schools and charters during this period, a phenomenon known as "white flight." As the state grapples with a looming $68 billion budget shortfall, the immediate consequences for Los Angeles' diverse student body underscore the need for reevaluation. However, amidst these challenges, not all hope is lost. Governor investments supporting learning recovery in metropolitan cities like Burbank set an example for proactive efforts to equalize economic disparities among student populations.
Despite being one of the most diverse cities in the United States, recent studies reveal persisting challenges within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Between 2000 and 2015, the LAUSD demonstrated racial and economic segregation, with 3 out of 4 Latino students and 4 out of 5 students coming from underprivileged homes. In contrast, the student body composition of private institutions in Los Angeles significantly differs, with about 42% being White, 5% Latinx, and 3.5% Black.
Tanya Franklin, Board Member for LA Unified School Board District 7, emphasizes the severity of these differences, stating, "Too many kids and families are unhoused or on the brink of it." Franklin underscores the need for a collective belief in public education, noting that although LAUSD is the second-largest school district in the country, many wealthier families choose to opt-out. "They're in their own little bubble with their kids going to private school," she says. Franklin suggests affluent families could make a significant impact on the lives of underprivileged children by providing internships and mentors. She advocates for a shift in perspective, saying, "If we think about public education as the foundation of every other system, possibly working and every other future employee having a skill set that makes the world a better place."
Yvonne Chan, board president of the LACOE and founder of the first conversion charter school in the nation, elaborates on the difficulties these underprivileged students face. "Even before COVID, there was a lack of health care due to poverty," Chan says. Families in these high-poverty "pockets" not only lacked technological devices for classes but also basic connection. Moreover, many of these students' guardians are low-income essential workers who couldn't always provide the necessary supervision, nutrition, and support for their children. "Basic life, food, and education are just way below people who live in Brentwood or Woodland Hills," she says. Chan explains that the absence of such basic needs could greatly influence the students' physical and mental health, sometimes prompting them to seek gangs for companionship and exacerbating the juvenile system.
Efforts have been made to compensate for COVID-19's impacts. A recent lawsuit reveals that California agreed to designate at least $2 billion to struggling underprivileged learners during the pandemic. Despite the anticipated budget deficit in the 24-25 fiscal year, the California State Board of Education shared in a statement that the Newsom Administration has made unprecedented investments over the last five years, supporting multiple learning recovery programs and a "30% increase in the equity-based Local Control Funding Formula for allocating state education funding–and have made a positive impact thus far."
However, amidst these challenges, researchers also discovered areas of hope. Proactive efforts by local educators, as seen in cities like Burbank, aim to host schools that incorporate students with diverse economic backgrounds, defying national patterns. Additionally, there have been minimal indications of white flight, despite the growing Latino enrollment in nearly 800 school districts across the country. "In the end, it is humanity-driven. It is all our problem," Chan says. "We all have to work together. Everyone can provide value and support, no matter who you are or where you come from."
