Transportation is a key barrier to adult education across the United States. From owning a car to riding public transit, a learner’s school attendance is dependent on their accessibility to transportation.
In Washington, D.C., adult learners enrolled in Office of the State Superintendent of Education of the District of Columbia (OSSE) schools can qualify for the District Department of Transportation’s Adult Learner Transit Subsidy Program (ALTS). Those eligible receive a $70 monthly transit benefit that can be used on the Metrorail or Metrobus anywhere within the district. The subsidy is disbursed to enrolled SmarTrip cards at the beginning of each month.
While the monthly subsidy has improved transportation accessibility and school attendance, learners say that $70 is insufficient to get them to school every day.
On the Metrorail, fares vary between $2.25 – $6.75 depending on the time of day, day of the week the trip is taken, and the distance traveled between the origin and destination stations. On the Metrobus, the fare is a flat $2.25. This means about half of a learner’s subsidy could be used for going to and from school in just seven days.
Reduced fare programs are available to those on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or those over the age of 65, and can be used simultaneously with ALTS. However, the cut costs still might not be enough to cover monthly school transportation costs for qualifying learners.
At the Council of the District of Columbia Committee of the Whole Adult Workforce Education Hearing on November 20, multiple adult learners, educators, and leaders across the city —including Academy of Hope (AoH)— expressed how transportation is the largest barrier. They explained the limitations of a $70 subsidy and requested that it be increased to $100 a month to provide adult learners with a financial blanket.
Despite the clear consequences and advocacy, ALTS funding is at risk of being cut in the council’s Committee of Transportation and Environment FY27 Budget. We must not give up. On Wednesday, January 28, register to testify and let the committee know how essential the ALTS is for adult learners’ success. Together, we can make a difference and help learners continue their path towards economic mobility.