The Role of School-Based Transportation in School Choice: Evidence from Detroit
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| Title: | The Role of School-Based Transportation in School Choice: Evidence from Detroit |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jeremy Singer (ORCID |
| Source: | Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 2026 48(2):734-753. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 20 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: | R305C180025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Early Childhood Education Elementary Education Kindergarten Primary Education |
| Descriptors: | School Choice, Student Transportation, School Buses, Kindergarten, Eligibility, Neighborhoods, Safety, Proximity, Motor Vehicles, Ownership, Student Characteristics |
| Geographic Terms: | Michigan (Detroit) |
| DOI: | 10.3102/01623737251362840 |
| ISSN: | 0162-3737 1935-1062 |
| Abstract: | In school choice systems, many families face geographic constraints. Yet, there is limited evidence on the association between school-based transportation and students' school choice, especially in fragmented transportation contexts. Using unique data on Detroit kindergarten students' eligibility and access to school-based transportation, we find that students with access to a bus at a school--either a traditional or shuttle-style bus--were 4 to 5 percentage points more likely to enroll in that school. The association was greater for traditional buses in higher-crime neighborhoods and for shuttle-style buses for farther-away choices. We did not find that this association differed by block-group-level household car ownership. Our findings suggest that school-based transportation may modestly increase school choice access, depending on policy design and contextual factors. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| IES Funded: | Yes |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505839 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | In school choice systems, many families face geographic constraints. Yet, there is limited evidence on the association between school-based transportation and students' school choice, especially in fragmented transportation contexts. Using unique data on Detroit kindergarten students' eligibility and access to school-based transportation, we find that students with access to a bus at a school--either a traditional or shuttle-style bus--were 4 to 5 percentage points more likely to enroll in that school. The association was greater for traditional buses in higher-crime neighborhoods and for shuttle-style buses for farther-away choices. We did not find that this association differed by block-group-level household car ownership. Our findings suggest that school-based transportation may modestly increase school choice access, depending on policy design and contextual factors. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0162-3737 1935-1062 |
| DOI: | 10.3102/01623737251362840 |
