Southeast LA students highly impacted by pandemic, survey finds

A recent survey by AltaMed Health Services and Great Public Schools Now found that the educational experiences and psychological wellbeing of residents in the southeast Los Angeles region of L.A. County were impacted at higher rates due to pre-existing “social determinants of health that keep them marginalized.”

Over 2,000 residents with at least one child enrolled in grades K-12 were surveyed, with 45% identifying as Latino. The survey included 23 questions and was made available for families in English and Spanish during March and April of this year.

Some of the key findings include:

• Grades worsened for 33.8% of children whose families reported being impacted by Covid-19;
• 54.6% of respondents said they were “concerned or very concerned about their children having enough to eat”;
• 86.6% of respondents said that their families experiences Covid-related impacts such as change in income, death, hospitalization, and job loss.

Southeast Los Angeles, with a population of over 440,000, is 90% Latino and its median income is $17,500 lower than the county’s median income of $58,000.

“Our findings reflect that pre-existing Social Determinants of Health exacerbated the effects of COVID-19 on education in SELA, and confirm that recovery of our communities will require increased advocacy and civic engagement,” the report concluded.