Abstract:

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), has provided breakfast and lunch at schools for students from low-income communities on a scale that ranges from no cost to a reduced price. Specifically, eligible low-income students that qualify for this program often reside in food insecure households. As a result of the k – 12 instructional delivery transition from on-site to a virtual environment, many low-income children have not been provided with school sponsored breakfast and lunch meals through the NSLP program. In many cases, that occurrence created significantly more unaddressed food insecurity needs for many low-income students. The problem of food insecurity has been exacerbated for families and youth who reside in households that were already struggling with food insecurity. Increased food insecurity struggles adversely impacted their overall well-being along with in difficulties experienced with the transition to virtual learning environments. Also, available evidence suggest that rates of their academic and social skill development have significantly declined. However, this phenomenon appears to be having a far more negative impact on underserved African American low income youth as compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States.

The primary research questions for this study are:
1.) To what degree did the COVID-19 pandemic adversely influence K-12 instructional delivery and food security among underserved African American low income families and youth?
2.) To what degree did the COVID-19 pandemic adversely influence K-12 instructional delivery and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation among underserved African American low income family and youth participants who experiences overall household food insecurity?
3.) To what degree did the COVID-19 pandemic adversely influence K-12 instructional delivery and the National School Lunch Program participation among underserved African American low income family and youth participants? and
4.) To what degree did the COVID-19 pandemic adversely influence K-12 instructional delivery and mental health resources among underserved African American low income families and youth?

A correlational research design was developed for this study. Samples of data were generated from the Household Pulse Survey published by the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) in collaboration with the United States Census Bureau. Samples of data was collected from a selected regional set of underserved African American low income households in the Northwest and the Southern region of the United States. Principal findings indicate that African American low income youth in food insecure underserved African American low income households’ educational experienced were severely impacted. In addition, family and home life among underserved African American low income families were profoundly impacted. Finally, mental and physical health challenges have profoundly impacted underserved African American low income families and youth too.

Keywords:

Digital inequality, digital divide, internet connectivity, technology gap, African Americans, lack of access.