Just how well have Los Angeles students fared during the ongoing pandemic? A recent survey found technology, tutoring and mental wellness the top three priorities of young Angelenos following a long stretch of stress and isolation.
Harvard student Marco Joven Dominguez is a recent graduate of Social Justice Humanitas Academy in San Fernando. He was filling out his college applications when the pandemic began.
“I felt so isolated that I couldn't see my friends. Could not communicate with my teachers,” he said. “And I felt that lack of support because I couldn’t ask for [college application] support in person—like I would have if the pandemic was not in the case.”
Norma Rodriguez with United Way of Greater L.A. is one of the organizers of the “Where do we go from here” survey and the data that followed.
She said stories like Dominguez’s are not uncommon and that her colleagues were surprised to learn just how much stress played a role in students’ lives.
“One of the big findings was that students hold many responsibilities outside of being students that they are juggling,” she said. “One third of students were balancing responsibilities like parental caregiving, raising or babysitting their siblings...and a lot of others had to take on jobs to support their families as they faced job loss or COVID illness through the pandemic.”
More than 750 students were surveyed by The Coalition Communities for L.A. Student Success to compile that data — and about 44% said that at some point, they were worried about their emotional wellness, as well as that of their family and friends.
“It was just very difficult in the regard that there was so much going on,” Dominguez said. “I had to complete my classes on Zoom as well as my schoolwork, and on top of that apply to college. It was just really difficult finding the motivation to complete my application[s].”
More tech, please
Surprisingly, Rodriguez said, technology was at the very top of the concerns list for students who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). 60% actually identified it as a resource to help alleviate some of their stresses and support their education.
“Not in the traditional sense that we think about,” Rodriguez said, eliminating phones and gaming from the conversation. “There were some really great apps in tech that were embedded throughout distance learning - students are hoping some of that continues when they return in person because [they said] it did help them juggle multiple responsibilities.”
Tutoring: “I would say prioritize free tutoring, because many kids do not have parents who can help with homework and other assignments.
Tutoring rang in at #2 on the list, just above mental wellness, with 49% of all students surveyed saying they were genuinely worried about their grades during the pandemic. Like Dominguez - they said they lacked motivation and focus, and that they hoped to have tutoring as a resource in the coming months.
Quotes shared with the study included:
Tech: “Zoom has a lot of pros. My English class offered office hours and I can get support without feeling embarrassed because no one else knows.”
Tech: “It’s easier to take notes and go through our day with [technology]. For example, my school used Nearpod...people who are ahead with their work can go at their own pace...students who still need more support can stay behind.”
Tutoring: “Having access to tutoring really gives kids that extra boost they may or may not need. It’s just also nice to know that we have access to that extra help.”
Mental Health: “Mental wellness should be a priority because it affects how motivated each person is to learn and work.”
Mental Health: “I think it’s important because a lot of us went through a lot during quarantine and it would be great to have that mental wellness support.”
The “Where do we go from here” survey was compiled in the Summer of 2021, with the participation of students of all races from across the L.A. Unified School District in order for surveyors to “better understand what they needed as they prepared to return to in-person learning in Fall 2021 and beyond.”
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