After a legal settlement proved that school shutdowns during the pandemic disproportionately harmed marginalized students, California is implementing strict measures to recover $2 billion in COVID-relief funds for tutoring and other support services to address learning loss.
California has agreed to spend $2 billion in remaining COVID-19 relief funds to address learning loss among students who suffered the most from prolonged school closures during the pandemic. This settlement is the result of the Cayla J. v. California case, which alleged that the state failed to ensure equitable access to online learning for all students.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, represented by the non-profit law firm Public Counsel, argued that school shutdowns disproportionately affected students from low-income households and students of color, exacerbating existing educational disparities.
California Admits Learning Loss Catastrophe, Spends $2 Billion to Address Lawsuit
Attorney Sonia Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District Board, expressed her gratitude for the settlement, acknowledging that the state's failure to prioritize education during the pandemic caused immeasurable harm to students.
"This wound was inflicted by poor leadership and misguided policies," Shaw said. "Our children suffered immeasurably because of these decisions, and it is outrageous that it took a lawsuit to recognize and address the damage."
California Admits Learning Loss Catastrophe, Spends $2 Billion to Address Lawsuit
The settlement requires the state to implement strict measures to ensure that the remaining $2 billion in Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant funds are allocated appropriately for tutoring services and other support programs.
The funds must be primarily used for students with the most adverse educational outcomes, including those from low-income backgrounds and minority groups.
Furthermore, the law mandates that local education agencies operate under a Local Control and Accountability Plan, which requires them to report on the effectiveness of any programs created to help students overcome learning loss.
"The recent settlement in which California agreed to spend $2 billion to help children most impacted by lost learning and mental health issues caused by the school closures is a stark admission of the failures that occurred," Shaw said.
The settlement also includes provisions for allocating funds to community organizations with a proven track record of improving student success.
"This is one of the largest education-related settlements in U.S. history," said Public Counsel. "It is a victory for California's most vulnerable students."
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 153 on June 29th, which tightens the rules and requirements for school districts on how they spend funds on students suffering from learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The California Department of Education emphasized that the changes in the spending plan are necessary to focus resources on the students who are most in need of support as the state recovers from the pandemic.
The state's admission of culpability in the learning loss crisis and its subsequent commitment to address the issue through significant funding is a step in the right direction. However, it remains to be seen whether the implemented measures will effectively mitigate the damage caused by the prolonged school closures.
