Stress levels are high for parents. They worry kids will fall behind in school, survey finds

Source: Los Angeles Times

Parents across California are more stressed than usual, and school — or lack thereof — is a major source, according to a statewide survey of 1,200 public school parents commissioned by a nonprofit research and advocacy group.

Most parents gave their schools and districts credit for short-term crisis planning, but worry about their kids falling behind academically. The same equity issues long entrenched in California education remain so during the pandemic, said Elisha Smith Arrillaga, executive director of Education Trust-West, which sponsored the survey conducted by the research firm Global Strategy Group from March 26 to April 1.

“Our poll finds that parents crave consistent contact with teachers and equitable access to academic resources,” Smith Arrillaga said. The poll found that access to remote learning was not equal. “Parents that were either low-income parents, African American parents or Latinx parents were less likely to have been in contact with their child’s teacher,” she said.

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Karla Fernandez

Communications Manager

Karla Fernandez (she/her/hers) joins Ed Trust–West as a Communications Manager with over 11 years of experience advancing social impact initiatives.

Karla started her career as a teacher at Chicago Public Schools and UIC College Prep. After teaching, Karla joined United Friends of the Children to support LA County’s youth in foster care as a college counselor. Through Leadership for Educational Equity, Karla also served as a Policy Advisor Fellow for the office of a Los Angeles Unified School Board Member. She solidified her interests in policy analysis and quantitative research during her time with the Price Center for Social Innovation, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and the USC Presidential Working Group on Sustainability. Before joining The Education Trust–West, Karla was the Associate Director for the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative, a network of nonprofits advocating for communities in SELA.

Karla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Public Policy from the USC Price School of Public Policy, and a Graduate Certificate in Policy Advocacy from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Karla is based out of southern California and is passionate about using data analysis, communications, and digital strategies for policy advocacy and social justice efforts.