How did the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States affect the educational outcomes and experiences of African American and Latino students
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by Alexandra Collins
Introduction
In March of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a state of emergency. Many people contracted COVID-19 and became severely ill, and in extreme cases, people died. As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic affected education worldwide, prompting schools to transition from in-person to remote learning rapidly. Historically, in the United States, there have been racial and ethnic disparities in higher education, which led me to explore: How did the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States affect the educational outcomes and experiences of African American and Latino students between 2020-2022?
A study published by the UCLA Latino Policy and Initiative found that African American and Latino students were more likely than any other ethnic or racial groups to cancel or postpone plans to attend college during the COVID-19 pandemic (Carrasco, 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted African American and Latino students' grades and their decision to attend community college or a four-year university. Institutional racism, health, and income inequality were all impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students of color. African Americans and Latinos were at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 due to working conditions (Nonini, 2021). Between local property tax funding for government schools and the effects of redlining, students of color disproportionately attended underfunded schools (Bornstein, 2015; Horsfold et al., 2022). African American and Latino families struggled financially. There was evidence of digital gaps due to family income, and African American and Latino business owners were disproportionately unable to access funds (Chen et al., 2022;
Santello, 2020).
Research approach and participants
Research Method
I used convenience sampling, a non-probability sampling technique, because it was more time efficient. I reached out to participants via text and phone, explained what my research project was about and why it is important, and assured them that everything would be confidential and anonymous. I received written and verbal consent from participants to record their interviews and include their answers in my paper. Interviews were semi-structured and conducted individually, in person and over Zoom.
Participants
Three of the six participants self-identified as African American, one self-identified as Afro-Latino, and two self-identified as Latino/a. Five interviewees self-identified as female, and one interviewee self-identified as male. Participants ranged in age from 20 to 22 and lived in California. Three participants were or did attend a UC, three went or are currently attending community college, but one participant dropped out of community college. One participant never attended college. Two African American participants' parents' highest level of education was a high school diploma. One Afro-Latino and one Latino/a participant’s parents’ highest level of education was some college. The highest level of education for one Latino/a participant’s parents and one African American participant’s parents was a Bachelor's degree. The African American participant, whose parents earned a Bachelor's degree, also had earned a graduate degree.
Analysis
Health
In the United States, there have historically been health disparities between racial and ethnic minority groups and White people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, African Americans and Latinos disproportionately worked as essential workers and this affected their health (Nonini,2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic, low-income students of color experienced more illness and death in their families (Hough & Chavez, 2022). Before the COVID-19 vaccine was available, approximately “11 percent of Latino students and 10 percent of Black students canceled their postsecondary education plans for the fall of 2021” (Carrasco, 2022). In contrast, only 5.4 percent of White students canceled their postsecondary plans. Once the vaccine was available, there was a decrease in Latino and African American students canceling postsecondary education plans. “3.9 percent of Latino students and 4.4 percent of Black students canceled their postsecondary education plans” (Carrasco, 2022). However, White students still made up the smallest percentage of students canceling postsecondary educational plans, with only 1.8% doing so.
Institutional racism
Institutional racism has harmed African American and Latino communities, as seen in the policing of people of color. In May 2020, the police killed an unarmed African American man, George Floyd (Police on Trial, 2022). Floyd was arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill and did not resist arrest. He pleaded with officers to stop because he could not breathe (Police on Trial, 2022). Yet the police continued acting violently and killed him. Unfortunately, many African American men have died at the hands of police. Each time this happens, African Americans experience an emotional toll (Police on Trial, 2022). Institutional racism is prevalent in education; the government has required government schools to be funded through local property taxes (Bornstein, 2015).
African American and Latino students are negatively affected by schools funded through local property taxes. This is due to the effects of redlining, a discriminatory practice that prevented African Americans and Latinos from owning homes through “government laws and private real estate policies” (Bornstein, 2015, p. 53). Underfunded schools lack adequate resources and offer fewer advanced placement classes. Class sizes are larger, anywhere from 30 to 40 or more students, and larger class sizes make it difficult for teachers to support all students, and there are not enough teachers (Admin, 2022; Horsford et al., 2021). The result of these challenges is that students of color are likely to do worse on standardized testing. In a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between January and June 2021, researchers found that two-thirds of high schoolers reported struggling to complete schoolwork during the COVID-19 pandemic (USA Facts Team, 2024).
Income
Financial troubles are a significant stressor, and in the United States, income inequality is severe. The Peter G. Peterson Foundation (2023) published 2021 data on median household income: for African Americans, it was $52,080, and for Hispanics (any race), it was $62,520. Meanwhile, the median household income for White people was $84,110. In March 2020, the CARES Act was passed, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was designed to help small businesses (Santellano, 2020). However, African American and Latino business owners found it difficult to receive PPP funds.
Meanwhile, big corporations like the Lakers and Shake Shack got these funds (Santellano, 2020). By denying African American and Latino entrepreneurs the funds, the income gap will widen. Income plays a role in education, and students of color are more likely to come from low-income families (Hough & Chavez, 2022). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was evidence of digital gaps, or disparities in students' access to electronic devices for remote classes and assignments (Chen et al., 2022). According to Hough & Chavez (2022), students were further set back if parents could not help them. This can be due to parents working long hours, language barriers, or educational barriers. Ferguson et al. (2007) pointed out that children in low-income families face more difficulties with their vocabulary and communication skills, as well as concentration, compared to White students.
Research findings
Background information on participants
Before discussing my research findings, I will introduce each participant. Participant A is an African American woman who dropped out of community college. Participant B is a Latina woman attending UC San Diego (UCSD), and participant C is a Latina woman attending community college who took the Spring 2021 semester off. Participant D is an African American woman who recently graduated from UC Berkeley and previously attended community college. Participant E is an Afro-Latino male planning to attend college in the near future, and participant F is an African American woman who graduated from UC Davis and is enrolled in a master's program.
Health
African Americans and Latinos were at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 than White people (Duong et al., 2023). During the COVID-19 pandemic, two participants in my study contracted COVID-19 twice; one participant contracted it three times, and three contracted it once. All participants reported contracting COVID-19 at least once before the vaccine was accessible. All participants were essential workers; five worked in fast food, and one worked at a
retail store. Participant A lived with her aunt, and during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, her aunt had become very ill. As is, her aunt was considered part of the vulnerable population. Adding to participant A’s stressors, she got kicked off her mom’s health insurance. Participant B worked at a fast food restaurant and worried about being exposed to COVID-19 because her mom had insurance issues and was a part of the vulnerable population. Her anxiety about contracting COVID-19 was heightened after her grandmother passed away from COVID-19.
Institutional racism
The abrupt transition to remote learning was difficult for all students, but low-income and high school students of color struggled the most to complete schoolwork. Schools influence students' support, decisions, and academic success. Participant A, Participant B, Participant C, Participant D, and Participant F all attended the same high school. Their school was in debt; class sizes increased, and class options became more limited. Participant E attended a similar school. Underfunded schools are likely to result in students doing worse on standardized tests. The average SAT score is 1050, and a score of 1350 is in the top 10% of test takers. Four interviewees scored below average, with the lowest at 840 and the highest at 990. The scores of the two interviewees who scored above average were 1100 and 1216.
Participant A needed more college preparation and lacked adequate support from teachers and counselors. This impacted her grades and influenced her decision to drop out. Participant B felt unprepared academically and socially when she began attending UCSD. This is because during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was little engagement in classes, and she did not see friends anymore. Participant C was distracted by her family and did not reach out to her teachers. She began attending community college in the fall of 2020 and described it as “going okay,” but did not feel prepared. By the fall semester of 2021, she lost motivation and “gave up,” and decided to take a semester off.
Participant D refrained from asking teachers questions but utilized counselors, which felt like enough support. During community college, she described feeling “very disconnected, like in limbo with the whole fate of everything, like if it was necessary to continue or end things.” However, she felt prepared to attend community college and transfer to UC Berkeley. Participant E got distracted when classes moved online, but thought that it was easier to receive support from teachers. He did postpone plans to attend college, but plans to pursue college soon. Participant F thought that learning was easier before school moved to remote learning, and that resources were more accessible. However, her motivation to engage in school dropped significantly after school moved online,, which affected her grades. Nevertheless, she felt prepared to attend UC Davis because she participated in summer programs through the Early Academic Outreach Program.
Income
Income inequality between racial and ethnic minority groups and White people continues to persist. Participant A needed to work more hours at her job to support herself and her aunt. Being prepared for unexpected expenses also contributed to her dropping out. Participant B worked more hours at her job, but in early 2021, her family was evicted. They could not afford a lawyer and relied on a non-profit called Bay Area Legal Aid, but they were still evicted, and her grades were impacted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Participant C worked more at her job to support herself and her family. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her family was at risk of losing their home. The stress surrounding bills and housing insecurity led her to take a semester off. Participant D chose to attend community college because she was financially constrained and her
grades suffered as well.
Conclusion
In this paper,, I used previous research and qualitative data from my study to answer the following research question: How did the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States affect the educational outcomes and experiences of African American and Latino students between 2020-2022? I had found that the African American and Latino students were more likely than White students to cancel their postsecondary education plans (Carrasco, 2022). They also felt less prepared for college, and the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their decision to attend college. If a student chose to attend college, their decision to attend either a community college or a four- year university was influenced.
Potential impact, contributions, limitations, and suggestions for future study
My study was critical because it examined the experiences and outcomes of African American and Latino students, specifically after the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the disproportionate effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on people of color, it is not surprising that students of color were affected. I was able to learn from my own data and existing research about how students of color were affected. A limitation of my study is that it was a small sample and was done in a short period of time. Further research is needed to identify what is needed to support African American and Latino students in pursuing higher education. Future studies should have larger sample sizes and be geographically more diverse.
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