School transportation may increase student outcomes by providing a reliable and safe means of getting to and from school. Little evidence of the effects of such policies exists. In this paper, I provide some of the first causal evidence of transportation impacts on student attendance and achievement using a rich panel of student-level enrollment…

This study analyzes how bus eligibility impacts student attendance and achievement in Michigan where almost half of the largest districts limit bus transportation to students who live more than 1.5 miles from school. The study finds that while eligibility has no major effect on student attendance or achievement overall, economically disadvantaged…

School buses may be a critical education policy lever, breaking the link between schools and neighborhoods and facilitating access to school choice. Yet, little is known about the commute for bus riders, including the average length of the bus ride or whether long commutes harm academic outcomes. We begin to fill this gap using data from New York…

School transportation may have important implications for academic success, but few studies examine how these variables are related. This systematic review is the first that synthesizes research linking school transportation with academic outcomes. Using the PRISMA framework, the authors conducted a literature search across multiple data sources…

Students use different modes of transport to go to college. While many transportation programs exist at different universities and many experts find these programs to have a positive impact, no studies have investigated the impact of such programs on the absenteeism and academic performance of college students. The main purpose of this study is to…

Objective: To examine the relationships between contexts of physical activity, grit, and GPA in a college population. Participants: 875 Undergraduate students from a large, southern university participated between October 2018 and March 2020. Methods: Participants completed an electronic survey evaluating physical activity and grit. The university…

School assignment in Boston and New York City came to national attention in the 1970s as courts across the country tried to integrate schools. Today, district-wide choice allows Boston and New York students to enroll far from home, perhaps enhancing integration. Urban school transportation is increasingly costly, however, and has unclear…

We know that the socioeconomic structure of the areas around schools affects schools and their educational activities. Considering this fact, in the present study we sought to stress how the socioeconomic structure of the areas of schools where teachers carried out their duties affected the teachers. In the phenomenological study, we aimed to…

The author, a teacher and substitute bus driver, explains the pivotal role that bus drivers play in the education process by proving safe transport and getting students off to a good start each day. Reducing bus transportation budgets, or charging families for using it, reduces student access to education.

The education pipeline is characterized by a series of well-defined and extensively documented transitions. From preschool to kindergarten, elementary to middle to high school, and college to work, students at multiple stages of human development experience transitions that shape their downstream outcomes. In this dissertation, I use…

School transportation may increase student outcomes by providing a reliable and safe means of getting to and from school. Little evidence of the effects of such policies exists. In this paper, I provide some of the first causal evidence of transportation impacts on student attendance and achievement using a rich panel of student-level enrollment…

For many students, transportation presents a barrier to college completion. In 2020-21, the average commuter student could expect to spend nearly one-fifth of their total living expenses on transportation costs. Transportation programs have the potential to offer students some relief--and help them reach college graduation--yet more rigorous…

School assignment in Boston and New York City came to national attention in the 1970s as courts across the country tried to integrate schools. Today, district-wide choice allows Boston and New York students to enroll far from home. Although 1970s desegregation efforts likely benefited minority students, urban school transportation is increasingly…

School district provided transportation is one way to support student attendance and achievement. By removing the obstacle of getting to school, school districts provide the opportunity for students to learn in school. In a secondary database analysis of 2018-2019 data, this study triangulates student achievement, attendance, and transportation to…

In Spring 2022, Pioneer Institute published "The Boston Publics Schools' Road to Receivership," which detailed the findings of the 2019 state-commissioned, third-party report evaluating outcomes and operations in the Boston Public Schools (BPS). The report was scathing, citing years of declining enrollment, low test scores, financial…