Milwaukee Schools Innovate with Van Service for Homeless Students
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is stepping up efforts to address absenteeism among homeless students by introducing a van service to ensure they reach school. While the familiar yellow school buses remain the primary transportation mode, this new initiative focuses on students who face more significant challenges in getting to school.
MPS has introduced a fleet of 20 hybrid minivans, each capable of transporting four students. These vans make three trips each morning and afternoon, offering a crucial link for students living in temporary situations or far from regular bus routes.
David Fifarek, the senior director of transportation services at MPS, emphasized that this $1 million pilot program, funded through COVID-19 grants, aims to remove barriers for unhoused students. He expressed optimism about expanding the program, stating, “I’m excited to see that this is actually coming into fruition, and hopefully over the next couple of years, we can see this expand. And try to model this out not only for this district, but maybe for other districts that might have similar situations.”
This initiative comes as MPS faces a chronic absenteeism rate exceeding 50%, as noted in the state report card. The National Center for Homeless Education highlights transportation as a significant hurdle for regular school attendance among homeless students, which MPS hopes to mitigate through this innovative approach.
The district collaborates with EverDriven, a Colorado-based student transportation service, to implement this program. Osama Kabashi, a former semitruck driver now working with EverDriven, finds the transition rewarding. “I drove a semitruck that could hold 10 cars, so this is a piece of cake,” Kabashi remarked. “And I love kids. You can learn a lot from kids.”
With approximately 5,000 homeless students in MPS, Fifarek noted that these students are often absent more frequently than their peers in stable housing. The van service offers a chance to improve access to education and reduce absenteeism by facilitating timely arrivals at school.
To learn more about the challenges of student transportation, visit the National Center for Homeless Education.
