Bill > SCR81

This Concurrent Resolution urges the Department of Education to address unfairness in school transportation by increasing and prioritizing school bus services for students from low- to moderate-income families. The resolution highlights that equal educational opportunities, guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, depend on safe and reliable transportation, and that a lack of it leads to problems like tardiness, missed meals, and disruptions to home life, disproportionately affecting lower-income families. It also notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened existing school bus route shortages, particularly on neighbor islands, widening the equity gap and contributing to learning loss. Therefore, the Department of Education is encouraged to create more bus routes, especially for these families, and to hire more drivers to alleviate service disruptions in underserved areas.