Parental Involvement in East LA

History, Poverty, Crime, Local School Statistics and East LA Educational Programs

Course ID Soc-4420 Vanessa Bazan, Damaris Huerta, Yesenia Rojo, Luz Padilla, Adriana Zavala

History of Education in East LA

1968 East LA Walkouts 

    A series of protests by Chicano students against unequal and inadequate conditions in LAUSD.

    Schools involved in walkouts:

    • Garfield
    • Roosevelt
    • Lincoln
    • Belmont
    • Wilson
  • Garfield drop out rate: 57.5%
  • Roosevelt drop out rate: 45%

    • Why did students walkout?

    • Overcrowded (40 students in a classroom) 
    • Low reading scores
    • Understaffed (1 counselor for 4000 students) 
    • Lack of a bilingual staff
    • Racist staff
    • Corporal punishment
    • No Chicano Studies courses available

Today, East LA remains the home to many Hispanic people.

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Majority of Hispanic population indicated in blue.

While the walk-outs provided basic rights to students, education levels in 2019 remain low.

Education Levels Based on City

Yellow indicates that a majority of adults over 25 living in those households have not exceeded the 9th grade.

What explains low education levels?

Income

Average Household Size - East LA

Darker areas indicate households with averages of about at least 4 members.

Median Incomes - East LA

The median income in East LA is $42,000.

The lighter areas indicate incomes around $33,000 to $40,000, while the mid pink is roughly $55,000.

This is problematic because...

In order for a family of 4 to be considered living in poverty is roughly $25,000.

This means that a majority of residents in East LA live slightly above the federal poverty line ($33k-$55k yearly) , which is EXTREMELY low to begin with.

Article: "The Federal Poverty Line is Too Damn Low"

Crime

Crime in East LA- Gangs

Crime helps identify issues involving low college entrance rates.

  • Hispanic gangs formed in 1920's
  • Groups banding together for unity and socialization
  • 14-20 years old
  • Burglary, strong-arm robbery, and vandalism
  • Defensive of their neighborhoods.
  • Gang fights occurred between rival gangs
  • 1980’s- Gangs targeted their communities and surrounding neighborhoods therefore making violence a way of life
  • Current Gang Member Age: 12-25

Crime in East LA- Gangs

  • Gang activity higher in lower income communities,
  • Violence at home or in the neighborhood, property crimes such as theft.
  • See the proximity that crime has to schools
  • Parents may be less involved or students are also less engaged.

What can we do?

  • If we can take that data and use it to build safer after school programs that can help not just parents get involved through workshops as well as provide a safe and helpful place to further expand their education with things like tutoring.

Why is crime and income significant?

People in East LA focus on surviving rather than education.

Despite low income and education levels and high crime rates and schools in East LA have many programs specifically designed for low income, Spanish speaking people and their children.

Academics and Local Schools (2019)

National Average Graduation Rate: 90%

Max SAT: 1600 vs. National Average:

Max ACT: 36 vs. National Average:

As of 2018, 30% of students have enrolled in AP classes in low-income high schools which has doubled since 2008.

Roosevelt High School:

  • Reading: 76%
  • Math: 56%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 87%
  • Average SAT: 1180
  • Average ACT: 24
  • AP Enrollment: 27%

Engagement Programs: Preparing digital learners, RHS Pathway to success, Parent Center

Lincoln High School

  • Reading: 74%
  • Math: 56%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 90%
  • Average SAT: 1180
  • Average ACT: 24
  • AP Enrollment: 27%

Engagement Programs: Lincoln High School's PTA (It is the nation's largest volunteer led child advocacy association to make improvements in education, health and well being for all children and families)

Wilson High School

  • Reading: 76%
  • Math: 52%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 97%
  • Average SAT: 1240
  • Average ACT: 28
  • AP Enrollment: 39%

Engagement Programs: Parent Center

Torres High School

  • Reading: 67%
  • Math: 17%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 92%
  • Average SAT: 910
  • Average ACT: 19
  • AP Enrollment: 20%

List of Engagement Programs: School parent compact, no other parent involvement programs

Garfield High School

  • Reading: 64%
  • Math: 33%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 94%
  • Average SAT: 1030
  • Average ACT: 21
  • AP Enrollment: 14%

Engagement Programs: Parent center, parent workshops, Schoology, Gate Program, Upward Bound Program, Go East LA

Hilda Solis

  • Reading: 52%
  • Math: 22%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 85%
  • Average SAT: 960
  • Average ACT: 21
  • AP Enrollment: 22%

Engagement Programs: Parent groups (English Language Advisory Council, PTSA SSC), PARENT Workshops, Schoology

Huntington Park High School

  • Reading: 45%
  • Math: 11%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 84%
  • Average SAT: 960
  • Average ACT: 19
  • AP Enrollment: 19%

Engagement Programs: Parent portals (provides information regarding student academics), Workshops, English classes, Schoology

Bell High School

  • Reading: 655%
  • Math: 33%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 82%
  • Average SAT: 1020
  • Average ACT: 20
  • AP Enrollment: 26%

Engagement Programs: Parent Centers, Volunteer opportunities for parents, Workshops, Parent Portal, Schoology, Career cruising, Career Locker (provides focus on self-direction in career opportunities), Educational Talent Search, UCLA EAOP, Upward Bound

South Gate High School

  • Reading: 61%
  • Math: 19%
  • Average Graduation Rate: 87%
  • Average SAT: 1010
  • Average ACT: 20
  • AP Enrollment: 17%

Engagement Programs: Family workshops, student internships, career search programs

Parent Involvement Programs for Students in High School & Resources

These programs provide mentors, counselors and teachers that help students alongside with their parents to be able to attend college or 4 year university. It’s meant for students that are first generation, and that do not have that role model to help navigate the college system. 

Puente Project

  • Teachers, counselors, and parents all work together to become empowered advocates for student education
  • Designed to help students graduate from high school and become eligible to enroll in college through the efforts and support provided by a Puente-trained team
  • Puente classes function as families, or familias, with students acquiring competency in various genres including autobiography, reflection, research, persuasion, literary analysis, expressive, and community-based writing. 
  • Students are taught techniques for collaborative peer review and create portfolios of polished assignments. 
  • Puente’s writing program not only builds language-arts skills, but also teamwork, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, all of which are key to enabling enrollment at a public or private university. 

What Does The Puente Project Mean To You?

College track

Helps students with their journey to college and puts them on the right track to college.

What's Working: "College Track" program creates 1st-gen college students

  • College track is a team of family dedicated educators who have deep connection with each community they serve.
  • When you join the program, you declare a dream because everyone deserves the opportunity to reach them. That is their model in this program.

LAUSD Parent Engagement Goals Rubric

  • This rubric is a resource to build team capacity through the right lead drivers. 
  • It gives parents a plan to follow throughout the school year and resources they can obtain within the schools in LAUSD. It builds a community with the teachers, students and parents. 

More resources...

Apps

Free apps that help teachers and parents stay connected and inform of student’s progress.

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