To Maryland Lawmakers: Help Students Get to School
Maryland is still recovering from a student attendance crisis. At its peak in 2022, chronic absenteeism surged across the state — and while rates have improved modestly, too many students remain disconnected from school. Vulnerable students are disproportionately affected, with some underserved populations experiencing chronic absence rates up to 20% higher than their peers.
One of the key drivers of absenteeism is unreliable or unavailable transportation — particularly for foster youth, students experiencing homelessness, and students with disabilities who require specialized services.
At the same time, school districts across Maryland continue to face a severe bus driver shortage. Nationwide, more than 90% of school transportation directors report driver shortages, and Maryland districts have struggled to maintain consistent routes and service. When traditional yellow bus systems fall short, students are left without a reliable way to get to school.
This is not just a transportation issue — it is an education equity issue. When students can't get to school, they can't learn.
In 2021, Maryland lawmakers enacted a flexible solution by allowing districts to use vetted third-party transportation providers to serve students when standard bus routes could not. That flexibility has helped districts support students with the greatest barriers to attendance.
Now, that authority is set to expire.
SB 292 and HB 319 provide a simple and necessary fix: remove the sunset provision and allow school districts to continue using alternative transportation solutions to serve students who need them most.
Every day, Maryland students miss school because they don't have a way to get there. This is a solvable problem.
Sign to show your support for SB 292 and HB 319 so that Maryland school districts can continue to meet the needs of their most vulnerable students with flexibility, creativity, and care.
We urge you to support SB 292 and HB 319 — two simple, effective bills that would allow Maryland school districts to continue using flexible transportation options to get students to school.
In 2021, the General Assembly took action to address a growing absenteeism crisis, allowing school districts to contract with trusted third-party transportation providers when yellow bus routes fell short. That law gave schools a lifeline — especially for foster youth, students with disabilities, and those experiencing homelessness — and helped them reach students facing the highest barriers to access.
Since then, Maryland's chronic absenteeism rate has dropped about 5% from its peak in 2022, thanks in part to the flexibility this law provided. But the need remains urgent:
- Students in vulnerable populations still face chronic absence rates up to 20% higher than their peers.
- 74% of school administrators nationally cite transportation as a top attendance barrier.
- Districts across Maryland continue to face severe bus driver shortages, limiting their ability to serve students consistently.
Unless you act, the 2021 law will expire this June — ending a proven tool that helps students get to school.
SB 292 and HB 319 would simply remove the expiration date and preserve the flexibility schools are already using.
This is not just a transportation issue — it's an education equity issue. When students can't get to school, they can't learn. And when we remove a solution that's working, we leave them even further behind.
Please support SB 292 and HB 319 to ensure Maryland school districts can keep showing up for students with flexibility, creativity, and care.
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