The Fight to Save Afterschool Lifelines for Hispanic Students

San Diego’s school system has made strides in college readiness, but many Hispanic students from low-income communities still face significant barriers. Afterschool programs have stepped in, offering mentorship and academic support that transform futures—but now, these vital lifelines are at risk due to funding cuts.

How have these programs reshaped college readiness for Hispanic students, and what would happen if they were no longer there?

San Diego Unified Schools have been making steady progress in their data according to the 2024 CA Dashboard. With slow increases in preparedness for college careers, students have been more prepared than in previous years. Even with 21.4% of students struggling with chronic absenteeism, there is a 0.3-point increase in English language arts and a 0.5-point increase in Mathematics. Overall San Diego is above average in California with an 88.3% graduation rate and 62.9% College/career graduation. 

Aiming at the heart of Barrio Logan, Logan Memorial High School has 99% minority students and 87% economically disadvantaged students. The Logan Memorial Education Campus is one of 33 San Diego Unified School District students. 

But why is it that more Hispanic students who are economically disadvantaged struggle to move on to college or university after completing high school? 

One of the biggest factors comes from their backgrounds, their parents. Navigating college applications and further career searches can seem impossible for many parents and students who have never gone through the process before. Even with school college counselors, this is still difficult for students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

(Learn more about the 393 to 1 average counselor-to-student ratio at local high schools below) 

With limited funding, what could be done about this issue to not only support Hispanic students in San Diego but also promote further education and the pursuit of ideal careers for students? 

After-school programs like Barrio Logan College Institute have been tackling this issue. 

According to Niche.com: 

32% = People of the Barrio Logan community with a high school diploma. 

6% =  People of the Barrio Logan community with a bachelor’s degree.

$44,776 =  The average annual household income for a family of four in Barrio Logan.

393 to 1 = The average student-to-counselor ratio at local high schools. Most guidance counselors are overwhelmed with administrative and disciplinary responsibilities and are not properly trained in college admissions.

These numbers mean so much, but to the students who have been active members of the Barrio Logan College Institute, this brought motivation. 100% of BLCI’s students have graduated high school and been enrolled in college. They even kept an 88% college retention rate and served over 750 students. This demonstrates how providing individualized support to both students and parents—covering topics such as college enrollment, college life, financial aid information, and weekly workshops—has improved the graduation rate for students from the same areas, backgrounds, and economic disadvantages. Does this cost families or students anything? No! Families only needed to dedicate their time, and in return, students get access to 1 on 1 tutoring, workshops to develop leadership, accountability, time management, and even visiting colleges to envision their future possibilities. During their senior year, BLCI offers students scholarships for college. 

This is one of many programs that has almost proven that every student is capable of attending college and reaching for a high career. College support and development beyond A-Gs made reaching a higher college enrollment percentage possible for Barrio Logan College Institute. 

The issue today is that institutions like Barrio Logan College Institute have been lacking financial support from donors and have had to make several difficult decisions for the program. BLCI had 3 districts where they supported 3rd grade-12 grade high school students. BLCI also continues to support their alumni college students. Due to a lack of donors and funds, one of their locations in Chula Vista, San Diego had to be closed down. Chula Vista is also a predominantly Hispanic community in San Diego. This lack of funds has led to BLCI having to let go of many employees supporting students with the goal of keeping the level of support that they have provided for hundreds of students at its highest. 

Finding programs like these is very difficult for the thousands of Hispanic students in San Diego especially those who are economically disadvantaged. Without external support, reaching higher careers can feel far from reach for students. 

This is why our community needs to begin finding solutions to supporting economically disadvantaged Hispanic high school students and support programs like the Barrio Logan College Institute. The support given makes a vast impact on our community. Volunteering as a tutor, guest speaker, providing internships, and volunteering your time can make a world of difference by keeping not only programs like BLCI alive but also Hispanic students’ dreams of achieving a college degree and further education.

Sources Used: 

About > About BLCI – Barrio Logan College Institute. (n.d.). https://blci.org/about-about-blci-2/

NEWS RELEASE: San Diego Unified Schools Making Steady Progress According to 2024 CA Dashboard. (2024). Sandiegounified.org. https://www.sandiegounified.org/about/newscenter/all_news/2024_CA_dashboard 

Niche. (2024). Niche. https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/barrio-logan-san-diego-ca/residents/ 

Rosales Media For Change January 20, 2025