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The Role of Transportation in Systems of Choice: Lessons from New York City
December 19, 2025 | By Amy Ellen Schwartz, Sarah Cordes
School choice offers families a range of educational options, but transportation barriers often determine whether those options are truly accessible, particularly for families in low-income or low-density communities where distance can limit participation and equity. In three separate studies, a team of researchers examines how distance affects school choice decisions, student attendance and engagement during the transition to middle school, and whether access to transportation, such as school buses or transit subsidies, can mitigate these challenges and help school choice systems better deliver on their promise of expanded opportunity.
