Walking School Bus: Removing Transportation Barriers

Tardy Rate

22% 8%

-64%

Chronic Absence Rate

19% 12%

-37%

On-Time Arrival

78% 92%

+18%

Symptom

Nearly one in four students arrived late every day. The school sat in a neighborhood with no bus service for students living within the walk zone, but the walk zone included a busy intersection and a stretch with no sidewalks. Parents who worked early shifts couldn't walk their children, and students arriving alone were frequently late. Tardy students missed morning routines, disrupted first-period instruction, and started the day behind. Teachers reported that the first 15 minutes of class were consumed by managing late arrivals.

People

A building-level administrator organized the program with two teaching assistants and three parent volunteers who rotated weekly. Team: - Building administrator — Route planning, volunteer coordination - Two teaching assistants — Daily walking route leaders - Three parent volunteers — Rotating weekly support - School counselor — Family outreach for participation

Data

The team tracked tardy entries through the school's pass system, which logged exact arrival times. A dashboard showed daily on-time rates by grade and identified repeat late arrivals. The team reviewed this data weekly to adjust routes and identify families who might benefit from joining the walking bus.

Plan

Two walking routes were established covering the neighborhoods with the highest tardy rates. Each route had designated pickup points and a 7:30 AM departure time, arriving at school by 7:50 AM (10 minutes before the bell). Route leaders wore safety vests and carried a two-way radio. Students were checked off at each pickup point. Families enrolled through a simple paper form sent home in backpacks. The program started with 18 students across two routes and grew to 35 by the second month through word-of-mouth. The school tracked participation daily and followed up with families whose children stopped attending the walking bus.

Resources

Route Planning Guide

How to map safe walking routes with pickup points