Many students who are chronically absent lack consistent transportation to school. While many districts provide school buses, in some states, access to school buses is very limited. In California, for example, only 9% of students ride school buses, as eligibility is often limited to students with disabilities or those experiencing homelessness.

In these cases, school and district staff may explore alternative transportation supports they can provide to families. If public transportation is an option, it may help to provide the student and/or family with a monthly pass. While costly, in some cases the school or district may want to utilize private transportation platforms such as www.hopskipdrive.com to ensure a student is able to attend school. It may also be possible to support with coordinating carpools with other families that live nearby, though, if you go that route, be sure to consult your district’s or school’s policies related to families transporting other students.