Report

LGBTQ Youth in California’s Public Schools

Differences across the state
October 2017

Using data from the California Student Survey and California Healthy Kids Survey, this study explores disparities in school experiences, school performance, and well-being of LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth in California, as well as disparities between LGBTQ youth in rural and urban areas across the state.

Highlights
LGBTQ youth in California reported less connection with school and more frequent victimization than their non-LGBTQ peers.
LGBTQ youth in California reported a more negative school environment than non-LGBTQ youth.
LGBTQ youth in rural areas reported a more negative school environment and feeling less safe at school than LGBTQ youth in urban areas.
Data Points
10%
of students in California's public middle and high schools identified as LGBTQ
Report

Executive Summary

In California, like a few other states, there are a host of state-level laws that are intended to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ) youth from the types of disparities observed in national or other-state specific research. These laws prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity within schools and foster homes, requires LGBT-inclusive cultural and historical education in schools and LGBTQ-inclusive sex and health education, and enumerate these social statuses within anti-bullying statutes.1 Though there are state-wide protective laws, California is a highly diverse state and there are likely to be variations in how the laws are implemented across regions. In this complete context, the current report examine whether LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth in California differed on key indicators related to school experiences and well-being. The report also assessed differences in school outcomes and well-being between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth by rural and urban areas within six regions in California to assess any geographic disparities.2

We used the California Student Survey (CSS) and the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) to understand the experiences of California youth and the ways sexual orientation and gender identity are related to their well-being. Both are large scale surveys conducted within middle and high schools in the state. Specifically, we used the CSS dataset, which is representative of the state youth population, to look at differences between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth in terms of demographic information, school, climate, victimization reports, and substance use at the state level. We used the CHKS dataset to examine differences between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth by rural and urban areas and within six regions in California. Regional analysis available in the Addendum. 

Main findings 

LGBTQ Youth Estimates

  • Overall, 10.3% of California’s students in public middle and high schools identified as LGBTQ. In rural areas, 10.0% of students surveyed identified as LGBTQ. In urban areas, 10.5% of students surveyed identified as LGBTQ.

School Environment

  • Across the state, LGBTQ youth reported having less meaningful school participation, lower expectations from adults, fewer caring adult relationships at school, and a lower level of school connection than non-LGBTQ youth.
  • LGBTQ youth in rural areas experienced a more negative school environment than LGBTQ youth in urban areas. LGBTQ youth in rural communities reported lower levels of school connectedness, fewer caring adult relationships, and less meaningful participation at school than urban LGBTQ youth.
  • Analyses by rural and urban areas and within regions showed that LGBTQ youth were more likely to attend non-traditional schools, which are mostly continuation and alternative schools, than non- LGBTQ youth.

Note: ***p< .001 significance between rural and urban LGBTQ youth.

School Performance

  • Overall, LGBTQ youth had lower grades and more school absences in the past year comparedto non-LGBTQ youth in California. However, there were no significant differences in schoolperformance levels between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth in rural and urban areas.

School Safety and Victimization Experiences

  • LGBTQ youth reported higher rates of experiencing victimization in the form of verbal and physical harassment and abuse compared to non-LGBTQ youth. LGBTQ youth also reported feeling less safe at school than their non-LGBTQ peers.

Note: ***p < .001

  • When looking at geographic differences in terms of rural and urban areas, LGBTQ youth in rural areas reported higher levels of feeling unsafe at school compared to urban LGBTQ youth.

Note: **p< .01 significance between rural and urban LGBTQ youth

Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drug Use

  • Overall, LGBTQ youth reported more frequent usage of cigarettes and marijuana compared to non- LGBTQ youth over their lifetime and more frequent use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana in the past 30 days. LGBTQ youth in rural areas reported higher levels of lifetime cigarette use compared to urban LGBTQ youth. There were no differences in marijuana and alcohol use among rural and urban LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth.

This study demonstrated that LGBTQ youth across the state experienced disparities in school climate, victimization reports, and substance use. The research also highlighted the regional diversity ofCalifornia by pointing out the significance of various experiences of youth in rural versus urban areas. The findings showed that where LGBTQ youth lived and went to school mattered for their experienceswith school safety, school climate, and cigarette use. Future public policy and community-based research projects should focus on better understanding how rural settings may create challenges, as well as potential resources, for LGBTQ youth. These results may also inform social action and interventions for LGBTQ youth state-wide.

LGBTQ Youth in California’s Public Schools

Welfare & Institutions Code Section 16001.9 (24); California Sex Education Law (SB 71); FAIR education Act (Education Code Sections §1204.5 and 60040); California Education Code Section §1500; California Education Code Section 220; California Education Code Section 221.5.

Regions include: Bay Area, Southern California without Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Central/Southern Farm, Central Valley, and North and Mountain region. These regions are defined by the California Department of Social Services/Data Analysis and Publications Brance (2001).