The Long Road to Opportunity: Transportation Equity in School Choice.
Saved in:
| 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] |
| Copyright of AERA Open is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 192372930 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The Long Road to Opportunity: Transportation Equity in School Choice. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cobb%2C+Casey+D%2E%22">Cobb, Casey D.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> casey.cobb@uconn.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wentzell%2C+Charles%22">Wentzell, Charles</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Farrell%2C+Kelly%22">Farrell, Kelly</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22AERA+Open%22">AERA Open</searchLink>. 3/18/2026, Vol. 12, p1-20. 20p. – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: 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] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of AERA Open is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=192372930 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/23328584261422255 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 20 StartPage: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: The Long Road to Opportunity: Transportation Equity in School Choice. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Cobb, Casey D. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wentzell, Charles – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Farrell, Kelly IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 18 M: 03 Text: 3/18/2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 23328584 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 12 Titles: – TitleFull: AERA Open Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
