LAUSD Settles Lawsuit Over COVID-19 Learning Loss, Agrees to Tutoring and Support

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) reached a settlement in a class action lawsuit on Wednesday. The lawsuit was brought by parents who claimed their children suffered learning loss due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.

The lawsuit, initiated in 2020, argued that the district's remote learning approach inadequately educated students, leaving them significantly behind their peers. As part of the settlement, LAUSD has agreed to provide over 100,000 students, particularly those most affected by learning loss, with a minimum of 45 hours of tutoring annually. This includes students who scored below grade-level benchmarks.

The district will also offer additional academic support, summer school programs, and increased yearly teacher training. The settlement still requires court approval. LAUSD did not provide a comment on the matter.

The impact of school closures during the COVID lockdowns on students nationwide has been substantial. Recent data from 2024 reveals concerning results. The Nation’s Report Card indicates that less than one-third of fourth and eighth-grade students nationwide demonstrate proficiency in reading, and less than half meet benchmarks in math.

Specifically within the Los Angeles Unified School District, only 43% of students demonstrated reading proficiency in 2024, and only 32.8% achieved proficiency in math. During the 2020-2021 school year, LAUSD served approximately 550,000 students.

The original lawsuit alleged that LAUSD teachers frequently failed to provide meaningful instruction during the pandemic, often limiting their efforts to simply checking if students submitted their assignments. Parents also reported difficulties accessing the online learning platform.