Every student deserves free transportation to school.
But Stamford Public Schools has a policy that only students who are 2 or more miles away from the school are provided with bus transportation. At first this seems logical–allocate the limited buses to only the students who need them most, based on how close they are to the school. But in reality the policy does the opposite. Buses are only provided to those that likely need it least: higher income students who are far more likely to have car access.
As illustrated on the graphic above, every single low–or even average income area–falls within two miles of the school (with only two exceptions). Essentially, the only areas that receive free school buses are North Stamford and Shippan, which are the highest income areas of Stamford. This means that by and large, only the wealthiest students in the city are provided free transportation to and from school.
So how do the remainder of students get transportation?
Some students who don’t receive buses will drive or get driven to school. But low-income students are much less likely to have access to cars. According to the National Equity Atlas, 19% of households living below 200% of the federal poverty line lack car access, compared to only 5% of people above 200%.
A lot of students who don’t have access to the school bus take the public bus instead–which costs $1.40 for a two-hour youth pass. So while higher income students receive free school buses from the district, low and average income students must pay a $1.40 daily fee for the same service. For a family with 5 children, that’s $14 a day just to get to and from school. As many of you who take the city bus to school know, the money adds up quickly.
The choice for many is between paying the bus fare or walking. Students who walk must get up before 6 a.m. every morning to walk 45 minutes to school every day, in the dark, in below-freezing cold, or in sweltering summer heat, while wearing a heavy backpack. And then they have to do this over again to get home in the afternoon.
“I have to wake up super early, and if I miss the first bus I either have to walk in the cold, or wait 30 minutes to an hour for the next bus, making me late for class regardless,” says Princesse Stessy Hyppolite, a junior who lives within 2 miles of the school. “Also, sometimes I don’t have the money. The money adds up after a few times. The bus should be free for us.”
This lack of access to transportation is a barrier for low-income students to accessing education. If the school wants to prioritize getting students to attend, they should ensure everyone has an affordable way to get to school before enacting convoluted AGR (attendance grade recovery) policies. The 2-mile rule ends up being a burden on low-income, and even average-income students, and something needs to change to give everyone equal access to a ride to school.
First, more bus stops should be added within the 2-mile radius that are already passed by in pre-existing routes. Many of the school buses have room for more passengers, and if they simply stopped more without even going out of their way, they could provide transportation to students who need it. This may mean students will have to get up 10-15 minutes earlier to get to their bus stops, but those few minutes are worth it if it allows other students to get to school in the first place.
Second, city buses should be made free for high school students. In April of 2022, the city buses were made free to all users as a form of COVID relief. By August, bus ridership increased by 103% according to Connecticut Public. In 2023 when the bus fares resumed, bus usage fell 33%, according to CT by the numbers. Making the buses free makes them more accessible to those who need them. Besides, if money can be allocated to provide free school buses to the wealthiest students in the city, why can’t money be allocated to provide buses to students who need free buses the most?
The Stamford Board of Representatives agrees. In 2023, they unanimously passed a resolution calling on the governor and legislature to make public buses free for high school students. “I think that eliminating bus fares ultimately improves its efficiency and further, it puts money back into the pockets of those that need it most,” said former BOR member Jonathan Jacobson, who sponsored the resolution (he is now a state representative advocating for its implementation).
There is evidence to support that giving free buses to high school students works. Last year, Hartford received $175,000 in a grant for a youth bus pass program. It has been wildly successful so far, with approximately 500 public school students taking 5,000-10,000 rides per month, according to Jay Strange, Program Manager for Transport Hartford Academy and The Center for Latino Progress. This program should be implemented statewide, though it would be particularly helpful in Stamford.
Finally, the Connecticut legislature recently proposed H.B 5460 – a bill that would make buses free for all high school students across the state. The state needs to pass this legislation to provide equitable access to transportation and education.
Every student deserves equal access to education, and lack of transportation shouldn’t be a barrier.
