Parents and the Los Angeles Unified School District have reached a settlement in a lawsuit over the district’s distance learning program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The suit, filed in 2020, claimed that the district’s approach did not meet state educational standards and disproportionately affected Black and Latino students.
Under the terms of the agreement, which still requires court approval, Los Angeles Unified will provide at least 45 hours of tutoring services each year for more than 100,000 of its most vulnerable students over three years. The settlement also includes teacher training and mandatory assessments aimed at supporting disadvantaged students.
“For nearly five years, we have fought tirelessly on behalf of LAUSD students and their families to enforce students’ constitutional right to basic educational equality,” said Edward Hillenbrand, one of the plaintiffs’ pro bono attorneys.
A spokesperson for Los Angeles Unified declined to comment on ongoing litigation.
The legal dispute began after parents alleged that their children received less engagement online compared to other large California districts. They said required instructional minutes often lacked actual teaching; sometimes teachers would dismiss students after confirming work was turned in without reviewing new material. Technical issues with connecting to the district’s platform were also cited as barriers. According to parents, these challenges led some students to fall behind academically and lose interest in school—impacts felt more acutely by Black and Latino children who had lower participation rates soon after remote learning started.
The case was initially dismissed in 2021 when schools reopened but was later reinstated by a state appeals court following an appeal supported by non-profits Parent Revolution and Innovate Public Schools.
California schools adopted various approaches during pandemic closures, including hybrid schedules or fully online instruction. Many districts remained closed due to infection rate restrictions set by state authorities.
Currently, Los Angeles Unified serves about 400,000 K-12 students, with more than three-quarters identified as economically disadvantaged based on district data.
Plaintiff Maritza Gonzalez noted that while her son is now in college and missed out on support, she is grateful her daughter entering high school will benefit from additional tutoring opportunities.
