SELA Rising
FIGHTING FOR EDUCATION JUSTICE FOR LATINO STUDENTS IN SOUTHEAST LOS ANGELES
2020



Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) is a resilient and rapidly growing region made up of several cities and neighborhoods. More than 60,000 students attend the 89 public schools in SELA, the majority of whom are low-income and Latino.
This report provides an extensive look at how SELA schools are serving low-income Latino students and English learners. It was developed in partnership with the University of Southern California and Alliance for a Better Community. The report finds that despite the cultural, linguistic, and economic assets the Latino, bilingual and immigrant community has brought to SELA, Latino and English learner students still face structural barriers and inequities in SELA schools:
- Schools in SELA serve a large proportion of English learners, with most starting school in the elementary grades in need of language-learning support. A third of elementary students in SELA are English learners.
- Most elementary and middle schools in SELA are not getting the majority of their Latino students to grade level.
- Despite the challenges faced in elementary and middle school, most high schools in SELA are excelling in English and preparing most of their Latino students for college.
The study also highlights bright spots and successes where schools are helping their students excel. For example, high schools in SELA have some of the highest academic results in English in the state.