Sarah Mullen – AK

As an educator of preschoolers through graduate students for 34 years in three different states, I have witnessed the challenges families face in providing transportation for their children to area public schools.

In 1992, in St. Louis, Missouri, many African American students were bussed from failing inner-city neighborhood schools to the suburbs to thriving public schools with more resources, where I taught second grade. While this benefited many students with a better education and support for food security, parents and guardians were unable to participate in their children’s conferences and special events because of a lack of transportation options.

While teaching in Michigan, new specialty public schools, such as Spanish Immersion or Magnet Schools with a focus on Science or Fine Arts, were available to all families with a lottery system; however, if the school was not in your neighborhood, you needed to provide transportation to and from school. No buses were provided by the districts, so the population of students at these schools are mostly families with their own vehicles, one parent who is able to adjust a work schedule to drive their children, and families with white-collar salaried jobs who attended post-secondary school.

Currently, I am a public school teacher in Anchorage, Alaska. I have learned to watch out for moose and bear before I leave the house and have discovered that a child can get an excused absence if a moose is blocking their vehicle needed to get to school!

I have also seen the struggles of my students and their families in attending school. Parents often work long hours to provide for their children and the new scheduled hours for the 2024-2025 school year have caused great difficulty for transportation and childcare. In Anchorage, families come from many different backgrounds, and over 100 different languages are spoken as the primary language at home. The Anchorage School District does offer support for transportation, which I have not seen anywhere else I taught. 

One benefit that makes a huge difference in the Anchorage School District is that students who attend East High School get a free bus pass. The bus pass allows students to take the bus to and from school and they can use it after school. Having a bus pass allows many students to attend school and work daily when they otherwise would not be able to. This support makes life easier for many students and that allows them to do better in school. 

Not only does that save families the cost of owning a car, but it allows older students to participate in after-school activities, get to a job after school, help their families with shopping and errands, or visit friends, despite limits in bus schedules and routes available.

In addition, taxi cab service or gas cards are provided for families with “Child In Transition,” so they can finish a school year where they started.  Students who are frequently moving homes, are homeless, or are in a temporary foster care setting qualify for this support. I taught elementary students, as well as high schoolers, who could maintain some stability with friendships, schooling, and afterschool activities because of this service. 

While every school district I taught in did its best to equalize the educational experiences for every student regardless of their background, much is still needed to help every student have access to high-quality public education. 

Reliable public transportation is one key to equity for all in public schools.