Enhancing education through accessible transportation

As workforce demands changed in the mid- to late 20th century, fewer parents and guardians were available to drop off and pick up their children at school. As a result, many school districts across Long Island voted to adjust their transportation mileage requirements so students who lived closer to school could qualify for bus service. But in the Village of Hempstead, the largest village in the country, the Hempstead Union Free School District has never had districtwide busing.

Under the current mileage requirements in Hempstead, students in grades seven through 12 must live farther than three miles from school, while those in kindergarten through sixth grade must live farther than two miles away, to qualify for district transportation. In a village that spans roughly 3.5 square miles, no child in the district qualifies. This has adversely impacted the district’s attendance and graduation rates for decades.

I was made aware that the district never had districtwide busing in 2018. It shook me to my core. I imagined children walking up to three miles to school each day, navigating busy streets, lousy weather and potentially unsafe areas. For many children in the village, this was a harsh reality. I decided that this was unacceptable, and that I would do everything in my power to resolve this critical issue.

When I first ran for the Assembly in 2018, addressing the transportation issue was one of my top priorities. There were two key concerns. First, the well-being of our children. Walking over a mile, especially in winter, is challenging for an adult, let alone a child who is expected to stay focused and learn throughout the day. The second concern was alleviating the anxiety of many parents, who wondered whether their children made it to school safely while they were at work.

Access to transportation is crucial in ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed academically. With reliable and safe buses, children arrive at school on time, ready to learn, regardless of their home environment or how far they live from school. This eliminates barriers that might otherwise prevent them from attending school regularly, such as long walks through unsafe neighborhoods or bad weather. My team and I knew that by providing consistent transportation, we would not only support students’ educational engagement but also address broader issues of equity and inclusion, ensuring that all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, had equal access to the opportunities that education offers.

School transportation also plays a vital role in economic development and shaping the village’s future workforce. It ensures that children from all backgrounds can attend school consistently, and receive a quality education that provides them with the skills they need for future careers. They are more likely to graduate, pursue higher education, and enter the workforce with better prospects. This improves individual economic opportunities and creates a more skilled and capable workforce, which we desperately need.

Investing in school transportation serves communities by reducing absenteeism, improving educational outcomes, and fostering a more equitable environment where all students have the chance to succeed, ultimately driving long-term economic growth and stability. That’s the vision I have for the Village of Hempstead.

Throughout my tenure representing the 18th Assembly District, I was frequently reminded by members of the Hempstead community of their dependence on me to resolve the transportation issue. I met with dignitaries from all levels of government, affluent people and everyone in between with one request: funding or a solution to provide students with districtwide busing. My team and I dedicated countless hours, blood, sweat and real tears to finding a solution. In 2022, with support from the Assembly, I successfully, and historically, secured $1 million to address the school district’s transportation needs.

I’m pleased to announce that, thanks to these efforts and the approval of the grant by the Hempstead superintendent and school board members, the district now owns its very own transportation fleet — two new 44-passenger school buses, two new 33-passenger buses, two new Sprinters and more to safely transport our children to and from school, field trips, and athletic activities.

Investing in school transportation is an investment in a child’s future, fostering a more equitable educational landscape where every student has a chance to thrive. We resolved more than just a transportation solution; we removed a massive barrier to the educational experience in Hempstead. After six years of discussions and negotiations, it is gratifying to see this significant achievement for the Hempstead district.

Taylor Darling represents the 18th Assembly District.