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The Long Road to Opportunity: Transportation Equity in School Choice.

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Title: The Long Road to Opportunity: Transportation Equity in School Choice.
Authors: Cobb, Casey D.1 (AUTHOR) casey.cobb@uconn.edu, Wentzell, Charles1 (AUTHOR), Farrell, Kelly1 (AUTHOR)
Source: AERA Open. 3/18/2026, Vol. 12, p1-20. 20p.
Abstract: While school choice programs are often promoted as a mechanism to equalize educational opportunities for marginalized students, recent scholarship suggests that these benefits are frequently moderated by systemic barriers, most notably transportation access. This study investigated the intersection of transportation equity and school choice, examining how safe, reliable, and efficient travel serves as a primary determinant of parent participation and satisfaction. Using a conceptual framework grounded in social and economic justice, the analysis explored how the transportation gap—the disparity in mobility resources between affluent and low-income families—undermines the aspirational goals of choice policies. Findings indicated that while predominantly White, middle- and upper-class families leverage societal advantages to secure placements in sought-after schools, racially minoritized and low-income families face significant logistical constraints that effectively narrow their educational options. The study highlights the idea that for school choice to realize its potential for equity and liberation, policy designs must move beyond enrollment mechanics to ensure equitable physical access to high-quality options. The article concludes with recommendations for policymakers to integrate robust, subsidized, and multimodal transportation solutions into school choice frameworks to ensure that a family's ZIP Code and mobility status do not dictate their child's educational destiny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Education Research Complete
Description
Abstract:While school choice programs are often promoted as a mechanism to equalize educational opportunities for marginalized students, recent scholarship suggests that these benefits are frequently moderated by systemic barriers, most notably transportation access. This study investigated the intersection of transportation equity and school choice, examining how safe, reliable, and efficient travel serves as a primary determinant of parent participation and satisfaction. Using a conceptual framework grounded in social and economic justice, the analysis explored how the transportation gap—the disparity in mobility resources between affluent and low-income families—undermines the aspirational goals of choice policies. Findings indicated that while predominantly White, middle- and upper-class families leverage societal advantages to secure placements in sought-after schools, racially minoritized and low-income families face significant logistical constraints that effectively narrow their educational options. The study highlights the idea that for school choice to realize its potential for equity and liberation, policy designs must move beyond enrollment mechanics to ensure equitable physical access to high-quality options. The article concludes with recommendations for policymakers to integrate robust, subsidized, and multimodal transportation solutions into school choice frameworks to ensure that a family's ZIP Code and mobility status do not dictate their child's educational destiny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:23328584
DOI:10.1177/23328584261422255