LA Unified Reaches Settlement in Distance Learning Lawsuit
Los Angeles Unified School district (LAUSD) has agreed to a settlement with parents who alleged the district’s distance learning program during the COVID-19 pandemic failed to meet state educational standards and disproportionately harmed Black and latino students.A lawyer representing the families announced the agreement, which requires court approval to take effect.The class-action lawsuit, initially filed in 2020, claimed LAUSD’s online instruction lagged behind other large California districts and frequently enough fell short of state-mandated instructional minutes, with instances of teachers dismissing students after verifying work submission without providing new instruction or difficulties connecting to the district’s online platform. Parents argued this led to students falling behind and losing interest in school, with Black and Latino students experiencing lower online participation rates.Under the terms of the settlement, LAUSD will provide at least 45 hours of notable tutoring services annually to over 100,000 of its most vulnerable students over the next three years. The agreement also includes provisions for teacher training and mandatory assessments,aiming to support the district’s most disadvantaged learners.
“For nearly five years, we have fought tirelessly on behalf of LAUSD students and thier families to enforce students’ constitutional right to basic educational equality,” stated Edward Hillenbrand, a pro bono attorney for the plaintiffs, in a statement released Wednesday.
the case was initially dismissed in 2021 following school reopenings, but the parents, supported by educational non-profits Parent Revolution and Innovate Public Schools, successfully appealed the decision, with a state appeals court reinstating the case two years later.
Currently, LAUSD serves approximately 400,000 students through 12th grade, with over three-quarters identified as economically disadvantaged.
Plaintiff maritza Gonzalez expressed mixed emotions, noting the support comes too late for her son, now in college, but expressing gratitude that her daughter entering high school will benefit from the tutoring services. “After all the time,effort and years invested in this lawsuit,this victory feels like a step in the right direction,” Gonzalez said.
A request for comment was sent to Los Angeles Unified.
