Des Moines Public Schools, United Way of Central Iowa and DART are teaming up to offer free public transit access to Hiatt Middle School students to see if the program improves student attendance. The pilot program began December 19 and will continue through the rest of the 2016-17 school year.
“For many of our students, access to transportation can be a barrier in getting to school,” explained Hiatt Middle School Principal Deborah Chapman. “We’re optimistic that this free bus service will help more students get to school, especially in these colder winter months.”
According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, low-income students are four times more likely to be chronically absent than others often for reasons beyond their control, such as unstable housing, unreliable transportation and a lack of access to health care.
United Way of Central Iowa is covering the cost of the students’ fares to improve access to education, and ultimately, improve the long-term success of all students. “One of our goals through the OpportUNITY Plan is to implement strategies that increase the graduation rate of Central Iowa students. DART’s new service will make it easier for students to get to school, bringing us a step closer to achieving that goal,” said Mary Sellers, president of UWCI.
Any Hiatt Middle School student simply needs to show his or her school ID and will be able to ride DART for free at any time. All Des Moines Public school students currently ride for free after 4 p.m., on weekends, and during school breaks. Students who are not assigned to DART buses for school transportation or are not a part of this pilot may access a half-fare pass for transportation during the day.
