Transportation access in U.S. suburban schools: a tool for equity or a revelation of race, class and privilege disparity?

ABSTRACT

Though many families of color move to U.S. suburbs for better educational opportunity, they often find that their children’s access to capital-building resources is dependent on transportation which may be unavailable, insufficient, or provided in a marginalizing and stigmatizing manner. This study shares the perspectives of eight suburban teenagers of color who relied on school-provided transportation to access their affluent, majority-White high school, exploring how their district’s transportation practices negatively impacted their access to resources, and their sense of priority and belonging in their school community. It underscores the need for equity-minded suburban school leaders to consider the practical and social-emotional implications of transportation policies and ensure that practices support full access to resources and an inclusive school climate.

KEYWORDS:

• Equity in suburban schools
• equity and school transportation
• transformative school leadership
• suburban school segregation
• suburban school leadership

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).